Ariz. school experiments with fresh, healthy food

Sept. 19—Tempe (Ariz.) Elementary School District students will soon be seeing a healthy, fresh change to their school lunches as the district works with a chef to introduce different foods into the lunch rotation.

Students sampled a number of options such as beans, pita and hummus, and apple cherry and barley salad as part of the experimental lunch. It’s long been a project to introduce school children to better eating habits for Chef Tom French, the Experience Food Project founder and director, who was responsible for helping the kitchens adapt.

The Experience Food Project, originating in Washington, focuses on impacting the nutrition of school meal programs. It looks to improve the quality and content of school lunches by working with chefs and local farmers, as well as school kitchen staff.