It can be done!

In a 2006 article of the Los Angeles Times, a West Hollywood elementary school proved that serving healthy food to their students is possible. Andrew Rakos, general manager of Fountain Day School, not only saw that a change was necessary in their lunch menu, but decided to do something about it. By forming a partnership with popular grocery store Whole Foods, the school receives a discount on all student meals. For an average of $2.00- $3.50, depending on how much the child eats, students get a hot, organic meal that is full of nutritious ingredients that fuel them to stay focused and enthusiastic for the remainder of the afternoon.

Since making the healthy change, students have been noted as saying “I like spinach!” only to be followed by a chorus of “me toos!” Prior to their exposure to Whole Foods, the word spinach was not did not roll off the tongue easily of Fountain Day School students. But after healthy eating habits became a part of their lifestyle, and they knew first hand how eating well can be fun and beneficial. This serves as an excellent example of how learning through experience has a great effect on children.

Because the average school spends $1.00 on each student’s lunch, it might not be feasible to double that allowance. Though not all schools are as financially able to shop at Whole Foods as Fountain Day School is, the action that Rakos choose to take can serve as guidelines and inspiration for others to follow.

Link to LA Times article: http://articles.latimes.com/2006/may/17/local/me-food17