www.csrees.usda.gov
               United States  
               Department of  
               Agriculture
               Cooperative State  
               Research, Education,  
               and Extension Service
                                                              Community Food Project (CFP)
                                                             Fresh Food Program  
                                                             Promotes Healthy Eating  
                                                             Habits Among Children
               by Stacy Kish, CSREES                         Gary Cuneen founded the advocacy              the link between nurturing their  
                                                             group Seven Generations Ahead                 bodies with healthy food and nurturing  
                                                             (SGA) in 2001, located in Oak Park, Ill.,     the environment through growing  
               Communities across                            to find local solutions to global             food in ecologically healthy ways.” 
               the nation are fighting                       environmental problems. The group                  Healthy, sustainably grown food 
               the increased incidence                       offers a comprehensive “farm-to-school”       items are not marketed to children  
               of childhood obesity                          program called Fresh from the Farm.           as effectively as fast food items, which 
               and Type II diabetes.                              “Fresh from the Farm is very             have limited nutritional value. Seven 
               With funding from USDA’s                      focused on promoting healthy eating           Generation’s Fresh from the Farm 
               Cooperative State Research,                   habits among children,” Cuneen said.          program reconnects students, parents, 
               Education, and Extension                      “We’re trying to connect children             and teachers in the Chicago metro area 
               Service (CSREES), a group                     to the earth and the source of their          with the joy, value and importance of 
               in Illinois is promoting                      food, and in the process, teach them          eating a well-balanced and healthy diet.  
                                                                                                                                     continued next page >>
               environmental sustainability 
               and healthy eating habits  
               in the youngest Americans. >>
                                                                                                                                                              ommunications Staff 
                                                                                                                                                              . 1/2 |  CSREES C
                                                                                                                                                              , pg
               Right: McAuliffe Elementary                                                                                                                    .pdf
               student shows off a basket                                                                                                                     ood
               of tomatoes she picked at the                                                                                                                  eshf
               Prairie Crossing Organic Farm.
               Credit: Christina Luongo
                                                                                                                                                              t_016_03_26_08_fr
                                                                                                                                                              cfp_impac
                                                                                                                     www.csrees.usda.gov
                                                                         >> continued from previous page
                                                                         The group teaches children the health 
                                                                         and environmental benefits of eating                     The Community Food Project 
                                                                         fresh, locally grown and organic food.                   promotes projects that 
                                                                         This is accomplished through nutrition                   inspire leadership and active 
                                                                         education. The students are exposed                      community involvement.  
                                                                                                                                  These projects foster 
                                                                         to fresh fruits and vegetables at weekly                 relationships that benefit  
                                                                         tastings and experience the joy of food                  all participants well beyond  
                                                                         during hands-on activities like planting,                the funding cycle.
                                                                         harvesting and composting on the farm. 
                                                                         The healthy eating habits developed 
                                                                         during the program are carried over                    procurement specialist works with  
                                                                         into lifelong healthy eating habits.                   local school districts to bring local,  
                                                                              Recent program evaluations show                   fresh produce to school lunch tables, 
                                                                         that students’ knowledge about healthy                 and supports menu development  
                                                                         eating and locally grown foods has                     and marketing and publicity strategy 
                                                                         increased significantly, and parents                   development. 
                                                                         and students are reporting greater                           In collaboration with the Oak Park 
                  Above: Lozano student proudly holds                    awareness about the importance of                      River Forest High School Food Service, 
                  a carrot she picked on a recent farm visit  
                  to the Green Earth Institute Organic Farm.             eating fresh fruits and vegetables and                 the Fresh from the Farm program has 
                  Credit: Anna Barnes                                    are reporting increased consumption                    piloted healthy school lunch fundraisers 
                                                                         of healthy foods as well.                              to encourage the incorporation of 
                                                                              In addition to educating students,                healthy vegetables, fruits and grains  
                                                                         the Fresh from the Farm program offers                 in the Oak Park District 97 elementary 
                                                                         teacher training and parent education.                 and middle school lunch program.
                                                                         Teacher training is aligned with Illinois                    The healthy pilot lunches were  
                                                                         education standards. Teachers are                      so well received by students and parents 
                                                                         provided nutrition education and                       that the pilot has been incorporated 
                                                                         information on curriculum activities                   into the district’s school lunch program, 
                                                                         centered on organic food, global food                  which now incorporates healthy lunch 
                  References                                             traditions and learning to enjoy food                  offerings with whole grains, fresh fruits 
                  Going Local: Paths to Success for Farm to School       with the five senses. The program                      and vegetables and occasional offerings 
                  Programs, National Farm to School Program              also hosts Parent-Child Healthy Eating                 of local and sustainably raised produce. 
                  Center for Food and Justice, Occidental College        Nights. These events bring children                          CSREES funded this research project 
                  and Community Food Security Coalition.                 and parents together to sample healthy                 through the Community Foods Project 
                  Fresh from the Farm Newsletters.                       food choices. The parents also receive                 program. Through federal funding and                         ommunications Staff 
                  Archdiocese of Chicago Food Service Thinking           valuable information on health trends,                 leadership for research, education and 
                  Seven Generations Ahead, Catholic Rural Life 
                  Magazine, Spring 2006 Volume 48, Number 2.             nutrition information and healthy                      extension programs, CSREES focuses                           . 2/2 |  CSREES C
                                                                                                                                                                                             , pg
                                                                         eating habits in the home.                             on investing in science and solving                          .pdf
                  Farm to School Resource Packet, National Farm                                                                                                                              ood
                  to School Program at www.farmtoschool.org.                  Fresh from the Farm is a resource                 critical issues impacting people’s daily                     eshf
                  OPRF To Serve Up Healthy Lunches for D97,              to connect school districts with local                 lives and the nation’s future. For more 
                  Oak Park Wednesday Journal, May 10, 2006.              farmers. Fresh from the Farm’s                         information, visit www.csrees.usda.gov.
                                                                                                                                                                                             t_016_03_26_08_fr
                                                                                                                                                                                             cfp_impac
                                                                         USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.