Farms: From Farm to School - Local Foods on the Menu

The Fairbanks school district central kitchen makes lunch for more than 4,700 students every day. Since the fall of 2012, the menu has included hamburger buns and rolls made with hulless barley from Delta Junction. The recipe the district uses is the result of a collaboration between Extension and the state's Farm to School Program, which works to increase the use of local foods in school cafeterias. Extension develops recipes for Alaska-grown products in its test kitchen. Modifying the district's recipe to include barley flour has helped the district meet federal nutrition guidelines for whole grains. Students also tested a recipe with greens from a Fairbanks hydroponic operation. Extension hopes to continue its work with schools and creating opportunities for Alaska farmers.