2019 Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller Farm to CACFP Emilee Case, Farm Fresh Specialist Activities include Field Trips to Garden Based Classroom Growing Edible farms/ farmers Learning Activities Gardens markets Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 3 Activities include Farm Fresh Fridays Cooking Taste Tests Local Foods in Demonstrations Meals and Snacks Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 4 Who Benefits Sites Win Farm to CACFP has the power Kids Win Farmers Win • Strong, positive • Boost nutrition and • Reliable marketplace to impact entire communities. connections to meal appeal Small changes in operations local, healthy • Stronger connection food • Engage parents to the next have lasting impacts on the and staff generation lives of the children and • Self-efficacy to make healthy • Community families you serve. choices connections Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 5 The 2019 CACFP Farm Fresh Challenge March 2019! TDA’s 2019 CACFP 3 2 1 Farm Fresh Eat Local. Teach Local. Be Social. Challenge Serve Texas products Host Farm Fresh focused Share on Facebook, registration is during March. educational activities. Instagram, and Twitter with currently open! #FarmFreshFriday. Learn more at SquareMeals.org/FarmFreshChallengeCACFP! Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 6 New Resources for 2018 www.Squaremeals.org/FarmFreshChallengeCACFP Fillable Resources: Social Media Web Badge Bookmarks & Banners Support Bookmark Banner Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 7 SquareMeals.org/FarmFreshChallengeCACFP • See if your sponsor is participating • Find supportive resources • Learn more about challenge parameters and deadlines • Squaremeals.org/FarmFreshChallengeCACFP Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 8 Farm Fresh Challenge CACFP Pilot in ESC Region 4 Farm Fresh in Texas More than 90K meals were served during the challenge pilot in October, serving an estimated 14K CACFP participants at 232 sites located throughout ESC region 4. Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 9 Christina Alley Child Programs Senior Manager Farm Fresh Challenge Houston Food Bank TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER SID MILLER 01 October Farm Fresh Challenge Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 11 October Farm Fresh Getting Started Choosing Sites Choosing local ingredients • Borden Milk • Ashcraft Cracked Wheat Buns 3” • Hardies Watermelon Nutrition Education • Talking points Social Media Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 12 02 Nutrition Education Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 13 NUTRITION EDUCATIONS “Remember that eating “If you had to buy an apple local foods like fruits and that was grown 2 miles away vegetables are not only or an apple that came from good for the you and the another continent like South environment but also America which would you help to support farmers choose? Why?” that live nearby!” Collect waivers Develop talking points 21 Take pictures 2 sites students Have fun Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 14 03 Lessons Learned Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 15 Lessons Learned More time needed to plan Menu adjustment to include more local produce Site competition for increased participation Social media Pictures Activities 1, 568k 5, 258k Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 16 04 March Challenge Plans Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 17 March Goals Local Ingredients: More local Texas produce three times a week. Nutrition Education: Teach three classes a week at CACFP sites. Social Media: Houston Food Bank and CACFP sites posting Farm Fresh Challenges pictures throughout March. Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 18 01 Kids R Kids Stafford Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 19 02 Location Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 20 Banana Watermelon Peppers seedless • Did no change to • Everyone enjoyed them • It’s been on our menu • Served with ranch for awhile • Mixed feelings • Some just wanted the ranch WHAT WE LEARNED The children and teachers enjoyed the trying new food. Time of year makes a difference and checking to be sure all is local. Banana peppers Frozen black eye peas Okra (steamed with sauce) watermelon Texas Department of Agriculture | Commissioner Sid Miller 22 Q &A Questions and Answers .