Eat local at Portland Public Schools: Come to lunch?
We've had a lot to say about the sorry state of our schools' cafeterias, both here and on Activistas, and the criticism is certainly not limited to the Portland Public Schools boundaries; it's a terrible issue nationwide. Movement is slowly grumbling toward a better way, though, and last year the addition of Harvest of the Month (one ingredient per week from local farmers -- this month it's sweet corn on the cob) was, while a small step, still: progress!
This year's small step forward is the Local Lunch: a whole menu, once each month, featuring local foods (defined as Washington, Oregon, and California up to San Francisco -- a generous "local"). The first offering, last Wednesday, was quesadillas with Tillamook cheese and Don Pancho quesadillas. November's offering is barbecued chicken with Draper Valley Farms natural chicken -- yum! I encourage those of you who send lunches with your PPS students to have them buy lunch on these days; or go have lunch with your child. Whole list of dates and menus after the jump.
Oct 22 - Cheese Quesadilla featuring Tillamook Cheese and Don Poncho Tortillas
Nov19 - BBQ Chicken featuring Draper Valley Farms Natural Chicken
Jan 8 - Cheeseburgers featuring Country Natural Beef
Feb 25 - 3 Bean Chili featuring Truitt Brothers Chili
Mar 18 - Grilled Cheese Sandwich featuring Shepherd’s grain flour and Tillamook Cheese
Apr 23 - Roadrunner Pizza featuring Shepherd’s grain flour
May 27 - Hot Dogs and Chips featuring Zenner’s all beef hot dogs and Kettle chips
Our PPS elem school invited all parents to the lunch that day. Such a great idea. So now each month that's the day a parent will join our son for lunch and we get a day off from making lunch. Yay. Good on all counts, I think.
Posted by: LTF | October 30, 2008 at 09:37 AM