Allegan Public Schools Food Service Director Lisa Jilek is excited that she and her staff will have the opportunity to “freshen up” lunch offerings for the district’s students, as the result of a grant the department received to buy locally-sourced vegetables and fruit.
“We applied for and received a grant, so we will get reimbursed a portion of what we spend buying produce that is sourced within 50 miles,” Ms. Jilek said. “We’re working with Kalamazoo Valley Food Hub through Kalamazoo Valley College, and they deliver fresh local produce every Wednesday to us.”
“So far we have had fresh apples, squash, corn on the cob, salad greens, romaine lettuce, and a harvest blend with green beans, legumes, and corn mixed together,” Ms. Jilek said. “We’re trying to source as much as we can from local farmers to support the economy and have healthier offerings for the kids.”
Today, Ms. Jilek stopped by West Ward Elementary to help her staff prepare apples and squash to offer to students during lunch. Those students who sampled the offerings were given a special sticker for trying new food. “I think it’s important to get out and hear from the kids about what they like,” Ms. Jilek said.
Ms. Jilek candidly acknowledged issues the department has encountered in the past with the produce it received. “We’ve had some supply chain issues,” she said. “You can tell the produce has been on the truck for a week before it gets to us from where it was shipped.”
But now, thanks to the grant, she has had the opportunity to visit farms and have a closer working relationship with her suppliers. “Anything we can buy locally, they will go out the day before, pick what we ask for, throw it on the truck, and deliver it the next day.”