(WTXL) — Today we're talking about healthy eating for school kids, Chef Justin Timineri joined WTXL Thursday morning to remind parent and students to choose breakfast and lunch in their school's cafeteria this year.
With the new school year upon us, parents and students will soon get back into their busy routine of homework, school drop off, sports practice, rushed breakfast and packed lunches. Justin Timineri, State Chef with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is challenging parents and students to eliminate the morning rush and choose breakfast and lunch in their school's cafeteria this year.
Parents and students might not realize that a lot of the items served in the cafeteria comes from local farms. Choosing school lunch means supporting Florida farmers and ensuring that your children receive a healthy meal. Chef Justin says he challenges parents to give school lunch a try – it's better than you remember! Studies show that school meals are often healthier than meals packed from home and children who eat breakfast at school — closer to class and test-taking time — perform better on standardized tests than those who skip breakfast or eat breakfast at home.
Through the Farm to School Initiative, FDACS connects schools to local growers to provide fresh produce for school meals. The program introduces students to local foods and gives them the opportunity to learn more about where their food comes from through school gardens, agriculture and nutrition education and other activities. Often students are able to eat products that were on a Florida farm just a few days earlier. To learn more about what's being served in your cafeteria, check out your school's online menu.
