March is National Nutrition Month, a time to reflect on the importance of our diets and building healthy habits. For Downey Unified Food Services, this is just another great excuse to help us meet our goal: providing nutritious options that keep our students energized and focused in the classroom and beyond.
As we say, good nutrition and learning go hand in hand. Eating healthy affects learning, focus, and overall well-being, so we are always looking for ways to enhance the nutritional value of our school meals. As such, we’re excited to share about our new partnership with Old Grove Orange.
Experiencing Fresh, Locally-Sourced Produce
A group of more than 15 Southern California growers, Old Grove Orange partners with local school districts to bring fresh, locally sourced produce to students.
Through our collaboration with Old Grove Orange, Downey Unified students receive farm-fresh produce. Every week, a new fruit is selected and introduced across our schools, allowing students to experience a variety of fresh produce — some they may not have tried before.
We’re excited that we can give students the opportunity to try a more diverse range of fruit than before (and locally sourced!) through the partnership. By trying new fruits, students may discover new favorite flavors and textures, broadening their palettes and opening them up to trying new nutritious foods in the future.
So far, our students have enjoyed apple pears, cara cara oranges, persimmons, and oroblanco grapefruits — each offering unique tastes and nutritional benefits.
At DUSD, we are thrilled to offer students these nutritious, locally sourced options, and we look forward to sharing more updates on our nutrition initiatives in the coming months, including more information about our partnership with Brigaid. Stay tuned for more exciting ways we’re working to make healthy eating a daily habit for our students!