HSC recently hosted the second event in our School Food Webinar and Event Series. For our two-part panel discussion, Healthy Children, Healthy Planet, we partnered with PEW Charitable Trusts and Whole Foods Market to present a dynamic dialogue around innovation for school food in Chicago.
The event brought together experts and leaders in the movement to ensure that school food is good for our children and good for our planet. So many moving parts work together to provide healthy school meals. The panel provided a look behind the scenes at the many systems -- from farming to transportation and small business markets -- shaping the food that we ultimately serve to children at school.
Dr. Angela Odoms-Young of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Applied Health Sciences discussed school nutrition recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, the science behind these recommendations and what they will mean for school food.
Comfort Cakes entrepreneur Amy Hilliard shared her perspective as the entrepreneur of a small business that sells whole-grain pizza crust to Chicago Public Schools. The minority-owned company created CPS’ first whole-grain pizza crust, refining the recipe to make sure it appeals to students.
Amy Hilliard shares her experience creating a whole-grain pizza crust for school meals
Since getting involved in the school food market, she’s now expanded her business to provide healthy products to hospitals. She credited the school district with creating demand in the marketplace for healthier products and offerings.
Dr. Lance Price of TGen North Center for Metagenomics explained how antibiotic use in food production is a serious threat to public health that encourages the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. He discussed the public health impact of the recent Chicago Public Schools decision to procure chicken from a regional Amish farm where poultry is raised without the use of antibiotics.
Dr. Lance Price addresses the audience
Rich Wolff, regional meat coordinator for Whole Foods Market, discussed Whole Foods’ commitment to playing a role in changing how food is raised and discussed Whole Foods’ role in connecting the school district with regional Amish farmers who provide chicken raised without antibiotics.
Chicago Public Schools’ health and wellness promotions manager Annie Lionberger was on hand to discuss school health and wellness innovation, including the district’s recycling program to reduce waste around breakfast in the classroom.
Annie Lionberger answers questions during the panel discussion
Many thanks to these insightful panelists and all the engaged audience members who took part in each discussion!
If you’d like to learn more about school innovation, please join us for our upcoming webinars:
Quiet Innovation for Healthy School Food
April 16, 2012 · 1-2 PM central · Webinar
Learn more and register here»
The Small Business Side of Improving School Food
May 1, 2012 · 1-2 PM central · Webinar
Learn more and register here»
Did you miss our first webinar on school breakfast? Check out the archived session here.
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