Six U.S. school districts celebrate Fresh Attitude Week

NEW YORK — For the first time, The Urban School Food Alliance (the Alliance), a coalition of the six largest school districts in the United States, is celebrating Fresh Attitude Week from May 18-22, 2015.

In collaboration with the French Department of Agriculture and in partnership with French Inter-Branch Association of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (which created Fresh Attitude Week), school districts in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Orlando and Florida’s Miami-Dade County will highlight salad bars and specialty salads with new vegetable offerings, host local farmer visits to educate students about where their food comes from, serve more fresh fruits and vegetables during breakfast and lunch, and introduce regional flavors and vegetarian choices.

"The Urban School Food Alliance joins the French Department of Agriculture in its mission to educate students about food and to make fresh produce accessible to them in schools for better health," said Dora Rivas, executive director of food & child nutrition services at Dallas Independent Public Schools, in a prepared statement. "It's important to not only serve fresh produce to students, but also to introduce them to new fruits and vegetables they have never tried before."

Together, the six districts in the Alliance purchase nearly $70 million worth of fruits and vegetables a year, which are sourced locally when possible.