Boston Globe: Quincy schools eye increase in locally sourced food in cafeterias

1/22/2016
By Katheleen Conti

Cupcakes and brownies have long been absent from Quincy’s public school cafeteria menus in favor of apple crisps with granola or yogurt and fruit parfaits. Cereals and pastas are among the many whole grain offerings that are paired with a wider range of fruits and vegetables, as mandated by federal school nutrition guidelines.

But one area where district officials are aggressively trying to improve is by offering more locally sourced food — an initiative that will get a major boost over the next year, thanks to a $72,000 Farm to School grant from the US Department of Agriculture.

With help from the city’s Planning Department, school administrators will use the funds to expand Farm to School initiatives, including increasing the number of raised-bed gardens used as part of the curriculum in some schools and expanding partnerships with local farms, said Joanne Morrissey, food service director for the Quincy public schools…

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