Food & Nutrition Services Blog

Over the summer, while Salem Public School gardens were growing with bountiful harvests, Salem Public Schools educators worked to create enriching, hands-on preK-8th-grade garden lessons. Guided by the district’s first priority in our strategic plan, Elevate Learning, over 30 hands-on garden lessons were developed that will transform our gardens into classrooms.  These lessons will enhance students’ food literacy, and are aligned to grade-level state educational standards and the district’s curriculum.

Below are vignettes of student garden curricular connections that have occurred this past month:

PreK–5: Earthworm Search at Bentley 

Bentley third graders visited the garden to search for earthworms as part of a garden-based adaptation of their existing Amplify science lesson.

Composting, nature, the environment, and math at Carlton’s garden

Carlton students enjoyed hands-on learning experiences connected to the grade-level curriculum in the garden this fall. Fourth and fifth grade students explored ecosystem restoration by observing and comparing two designs for a composter in the garden.

Between our vermiculture (worm) compost bin and our recently-built outdoor, open-air, composter, they were able to identify which would be more effective when breaking down natural materials into nutrient rich soil. They also learned about what to add to our compost to help make healthy soil in the future.

P2 (first and second grade) students connected their learning in the garden with their science lessons on animal and plant defenses. They discovered how animals and insects, like caterpillars, will camouflage themselves in order to survive in their environments by blending into the natural habitat.

Carlton’s third grade students connected their learning about data collection in math by counting all the remaining cherry tomatoes in the garden. They then organized the green, yellow, and orange tomatoes into groups and counted how many in each group. Applying their learning to the math standard, students created large scale bar graphs to represent and compare the data from each group. Finally, students taste tested each tomato and voted on which one was the most flavorful.

Middle School: Garden Install and Soil Lesson

Collins Middle School is expanding its garden, and fresh soil has recently been delivered. Seventh grade students will have the opportunity to fill their class’s garden raised bed during their science class on November 17 & 18 and they will also complete the lesson, Unit 1: Microbiome, What’s in the Soil? – Testing for a Healthy Garden

Gardening has been part of Collins’ special education program for years. At the beginning of the school year students water, weed and harvest what was planted in the spring. Students eat and cook what we can and share with the cafeteria so the whole school can share in the harvests.

This is the time of the year when students germinate seeds for tower gardens: this year students planted green onion, cilantro, kale and tomatoes. The kale, cilantro and green onions are already being harvested and the tomatoes are flowering. We expect the first fruit to be ready to eat around Christmas time.

Winter is a quiet time for us, as indoor gardens are growing and the outdoor gardens are resting. After February break, students decide on which flowers will be our pollinators and plant seeds in our greenhouse to wait to be planted outside after the last frost. We then choose our vegetables that need an indoor start; veggies like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. We plan which beds will have seeds planted in them and which ones will get the seedlings. Seeded beds include carrots, onions, watermelon, pumpkins, beets and herbs.

Collins students enter vegetables into the Topsfield Fair every October, and each year have won ribbons. This year students won second place for carrots and third place for beets.

Salem Public Schools is committed to ensuring that students have access to healthy, delicious, and fresh made meals.  Below, we have curated the places where children can continue to enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner.  In addition, we have included food access resources for families.

School Nutrition Programs

School Breakfast & Lunch Program

Free to all students enrolled in Salem Public Schools. Students are allowed to receive a nutritionally balanced, tasty breakfast & lunch meal which includes locally sourced fruits and vegetables. Students are allowed to receive a second breakfast or lunch if they are still hungry.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Free to all Prek-5 students. Operates five days a week, supplying students with fresh, local fruits and vegetables as a snack in between their breakfast and lunch meals.

Dinner Program

Free to all students enrolled in afterschool programs at Salem High School and Collins Middle School. Students receive a delicious, nutritionally balanced meal filled with locally sourced menu items to fuel them for their afterschool activities.

Food Pantries and Community Meals

The Salem Pantry

Visit their pantry location The Market or pop-up pantries throughout Salem. Free and open to all. Check their website for current schedules.

• • Address: 47 Leavitt Street Stalem MA

• • Phone: 978-552-3954

• • Website: www.thesalempantry.org

Food for the World

A grassroots community organization that operates a bimonthly food pantry in Salem at the Salem Free Methodist Church.

• • Address: 8 North Street, Salem MA

• • Phone: 978-683-9949

• • Website: foodfortheworld.org

• • Hours: 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month 10:am-12pm

Haven from Hunger at Citizens Inn

Community meals program that offers guests a filling, nutritious supper in a friendly atmosphere at no cost.

• • Address: 71 Wallis Street, Peabody MA

• • Phone: 978-531-1530

• • Website: https://citizensinn.org/

• • Pantry Hours: Mon, Tues, Fri, 10:30am-2:30pm, Thurs 12:30pm-2:30pm and 6pm-7pm

• • Community Meals: Mon Tues, Thurs, Fri 4:30pm-5:30pm

Lifebridge

Community meals program open to all, offering nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

• • Address:56 Margin Street, Salem MA

• • Phone: 978-744-0500

• • Website: lifebridgenorthshore.org

• • Hours: Breakfast: Mon-Fri 9:00am

• • Lunch: Mon-Sat 12-12:30pm

• • Dinner: Mon-Sat 5:30pm Sun 4:30 pm

My Brother’s Table

Provides meals and a wide range of other services to those in need. Meals are served 7 days a week. No eligibility screening, all are welcome.

• • Address: 98 Willow Street, Lynn MA

• • Phone: 781-595-3224

• • Website: mybrotherstable.org

• • Hours: Mon-Fri 12:00pm-6:00pm Sat/Sun 2:00pm-430pm

Other Resources

Catholic Charities Food Pantry

Provides emergency living assistance, including grocery store gift cards, and food pantries.

• • Address: 8 Silsbee Street, Lynn MA

• • Phone: 617-451-7999

• • Website: ccab.org

• • Hours: Mon-Wed- Fri: 9:00am-12:00pm

• • Tues: 1:00pm-3:00pm

• • Thurs: 9:00am-12:00am

Market Basket Gift Card Program

• • To enroll, call: 978-740-6923

• • Mon-Thurs 10:00am-12:00pm

Project Bread’s Food Source Hotline

• • Call Hotline: 1-800-645-8333

• • Connects MA residents to federal nutrition programs designated to supply meals and alleviate the economic burden of purchasing food on a tight household budget.

• • Call Hotline: 1-800-645-8333

October is National Farm-to-School Month, a national celebration of the connections between schools, food, and local farmers. Farm to school enriches school lunches by providing fresh, nourishing food that is grown, prepared, and purchased from local vendors.

Once again this month, 50 percent of the menu items are locally purchased. We are proud to feature tomatoes from Wards Berry Farm, apples from Autumn Hills Orchard, Westward Orchard, Bolton Orchard, and Brookdale Fruit Farm, kale from Verill Farm, peppers from Wards Berry Farm, peaches from Bolton Oarchards, broccoli from Hadley Farm, cucumbers from Hadley Farm, lettuce from Verill Farm, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, and herbs from our very own Salem Public Schools gardens.

View our menu here

This October, Salem Public Schools is celebrating Farm to School Month in multiple ways:

• • We’re offering local foods at lunch

• • Launching new salad bars

• • Expanding composting efforts

• • Taste-testing our Harvest of the Month

On Monday, Oct. 6, all elementary lunches will have a salad bar option for students. Each salad bar will be stocked with hummus cups, local veggie sticks, local apples, and our Harvest of the Month taste test offerings.  We hope students enjoy this option and welcome feedback on the salad bars at

The October Harvest of the Month from New Entry is pears.

Pear Nutrition Facts

• • Calories: 101

• • Carbohydrates: 27 grams

• • Fiber: 6 grams (24% of daily value)

• • Sugar: 17 grams

• • Vitamin C: 12% of daily value

• • Vitamin K: 10% of daily value

• • Potassium: 206 mg (6% of daily value)

During the week of Oct. 20-24, new recipes featuring pears will be taste-tested across our elementary schools. Students will have the chance to try Spiced Pear Chips, Fresh Apple and Pear Salad, or Baked Pear Oatmeal. Each school will choose a recipe to taste test during the week. These monthly taste tests will continue throughout the year, with each month’s harvest of the month.

We are excited to continue introducing our students to farm-fresh items, enriching their diets, and supporting local farmers. Happy tasting!

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on Monday, Sept. 15. This month-long observance celebrates Hispanic and Latino history and culture, as well as the many contributions made to United States history and culture by the Hispanic American communities. This year’s theme is Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future.

Nearly 50 percent of Salem students identify as Latino, and every day they are part of creating a joyful and successful learning community. This month, we will be celebrating the diversity and the contributions of Salem’s Latino families.

Meals inspired by traditional Hispanic cuisine include:

• • Monday, September 15: Chicken & Cheese Empanadas

• • Tuesday, September 16: Beef Tacos

• • Friday, September 19:  Pastelon (High Schools Only)

• • Wednesday, September 24: Breaded Chicken Tortilla Wrap

• • Thursday, September 25: Birria Pulled Chicken Quesadilla

• • Friday, September 26: Yaroa Pollo (High Schools Only)

• • Tuesday, September 30: Roasted Chicken with Sazon de Abuela Seasoning

• • Tuesday, October 7: Chicken Fajita Quesadilla

• • Thursday, October 9: Empanadas

• • Tuesday, October 14: Pupusa

On Sept. 30, the entree will be seasoned with Salem’s very own Saison de Abuela– a spice blend developed by Bates Elementary Head Cook, Margarita Ramos, to enhance flavor and bring a taste of home to our students.

We invite you to join this celebration of Hispanic culture by submitting family recipes to be taste tested in school! During Hispanic Heritage month we will be prioritizing taste tests of recipes representing Hispanic culture to allow school communities to experience the culinary traditions of Hispanic culture.

Send your recipes to recipes@salemk12.org. This is a great opportunity to showcase your family’s heritage, share a family dish, and bring our school community closer together. Remember to follow these guidelines when submitting your recipe:

Guidelines for Recipe Submission:

• • Students should talk to their family and be comfortable with sharing the recipe.

• • Recipes should reflect student/family identities and cultural heritage.

• • The recipe can be a main dish or a side dish.

• • Recipes should be as specific as possible with steps and ingredient amounts.

• • Recipe submissions should include 1-2 sentences about its significance to the student or their family.

• • Remember to include student name, grade level, and email on the submission.

This recipe initiative will take place all year, with a monthly taste test each month. The student whose recipe is chosen will have the opportunity to prepare the recipe in their school kitchen with their school’s cafeteria staff. Let’s come together to honor and enjoy the diverse flavors and stories that make our community unique.

Salem’s Food & Nutrition Services staff wishes to welcome all of our students and staff back to school. We are looking forward to a year of sharing nutritious and delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners!

Menus for breakfast, lunch, the fresh fruit and vegetable program and dinner are available for the month of September here.  Our new user-friendly menu platform allows families to easily find meals for their student’s school along with nutritional information for each of the meals served.

We are thrilled to share that 50% of this month’s menu includes locally sourced ingredients. September is harvest time and our menu makes the most of local fresh foods, including food harvested from school gardens. On Tuesday, Sept. 9, the menu includes tomato, basil, and garlic, all harvested directly from SPS.

We have many exciting efforts planned for this year: we are expanding the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program to five days (up from four) so that students will have a daily, healthy snack.  We’re growing our school garden program to include classroom and garden lessons, which will get students in grades PreK-8 out into their garden, and participating in lessons that are aligned to the district’s science curriculum. In October, we will be expanding salad bars to all schools– including elementarys. And finally, we are rolling out composting in all cafeterias. (More to come on this student-led initiative!).

Even as we launch these new initiatives, we will continue with core program elements, including:

• • Student recipes: We are actively soliciting student recipes for this year. Students and staff can submit their own family recipe to recipes@salemk12.org. Each month, the FNS team will select one recipe and will invite the student who submitted the recipe to “taste test” the recipe with their school’s kitchen staff. We invite students and staff to share a a taste of home.

• • Locally sourced ingredients: Believing as we do that fresh food tastes better, this year we have partnered with the following local vendors: Maine Family Farms, Bolton Orchards, Ward’s Berry Farm, Bardwell Farm, Wellspring Harvest Corporation, Verrill Farm, Fantini, Reds Best, and New Entry Food Hub.

Scratch cooked meals: We will continue to offer meals cooked from scratch this year, including pulled pork, pulled chicken, fajita bowl, chicken wings, chicken broccoli ziti, garlic parmesan roasted potato wedges, chicken fajitas, sloppy joes, buffalo chicken dip, and hot honey chicken