The grant will be utilized to create school lunch recipes that use locally grown ingredients. | Stock Photo
The grant will be utilized to create school lunch recipes that use locally grown ingredients. | Stock Photo
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded the State of Montana a $199,800 school nutrition grant to support the National School Lunch Program, according to a state news release.
The state’s Office of Public Instruction (OPI) will collaborate with the Montana Team Nutrition Program at Montana State University to create school lunch recipes utilizing ingredients that are produced locally within the state including: Barley, beets, bison, chokecherries, sweet cherries, lentils and winter squash.
“Agriculture is Montana’s No. 1 industry. This grant will help strengthen the partnerships between our schools and local farmers and ranchers,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen said. “Montana students should have access to local, nutritious Montana-made food while supporting their local producers.”
The statewide Harvesting Montana Recipes Contest will invite students, school staff and the community to participate in the development process. Additionally, a sub-grant program will award six school districts funds to support student taste testing, nutrition education and meal service to encourage student and community engagement.
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