Willmar public schools are already doing great work to bring food from local Minnesota farms into their school cafeterias.  And they are even serving as an example for schools across the state and around the country who want to do the same! Willmar features a new local ingredient each month, and students help decide which ingredients become part of regular rotation, and which recipes are a success. 

The school food service program hands out samples at lunches leading up to the official "launch" of a new ingredient.  Students will get to try the new ingredient, or a recipe that features it, and then they vote on the samples by throwing their empty sample cup into a bin with a smiley face if they like it, or a frown if they don't.  It's an easy way to see what makes the final cut.

The local ingredients that Willmar has featured include apples, beans, bison, cabbage, cheese, honey, potatoes, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, whole grains, and wild rice.  Willmar's menus use recipes that feature these local ingredients, like a baked potato bar, bison hot dogs, black bean vegetable wraps, vegetable chili, baked apples, whole grain granola, and more!

For more info on the Willmar and farm to school programs you can check out our "Farm to School" key issues, and these links:

• A feature on Willmar on the National Farm to School website!
  
• More on Willmar on the Minnesota School Nutrition Association's website.
  
• Here's a video clip of Willmar's school lunch program in action! 
• <font size="3"> Is your school food service staff interested in how Willmar runs their program?  Here's all the info they need, put together especially for food service staff. </font>
  

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