Fresh Picks Café believes that a healthy diet can be the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. But healthy eating is only a part of a whole health approach that includes physical activity and nutrition education. Just as important is teaching children from a young age how to make good, informed decisions about wellness in all parts of their lives. Their school experience, after all, is merely the formative period of a long, healthy life. We must prepare them for decades of making their own decisions about health.
Our approach starts with menus that far outperform USDA
standards for a healthy meal. Through taking a Fresh Approach to Food, our
minimum standards:
- We never purchase items with artificial trans
fats
- We never purchase items with MSG
- We only serve proteins that are USDA certified
- We only purchase milk that is regionally
produced and free of artificial growth hormones
- We only purchase produce that is fresh, or fresh
frozen
- We source local and regional products as much as
possible
- We offer a variety of whole grain options, fresh
fruits and vegetables daily
We also participate in the Smarter Lunchrooms movement. In
this Child Nutrition industry leading program developed at Cornell University,
our cafeterias apply retail marketing strategies to promote healthier choices
to students.
Beyond the cafeteria, we become active participants in the school’s overall wellness initiatives. We actively participate in wellness committees to join the discussion of how to improve the health of our students. Our staff, Registered Dietitians and Executive Chefs regularly get involved in activities ranging from Wellness Fairs, to classroom nutrition education lessons, to volunteering support for athletic events and health related school events.
Health and wellbeing extend far beyond the cafeteria and
classroom. We are a strong proponent of the End 68 Hours of Hunger program, an
initiative to combat food insecurity. Our staff members typically become
logistical coordinators and volunteers for communities seeking to implement the
program, ensuring that experienced food service professionals are a part of
building a successful program.