CHS Students Enjoy Fresh, Local Cafeteria Food This Week

Cinnaminson High School students have been enjoying some pretty sweet cafeteria food this week.

As part of the state's Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week program, the district and Lew's Farm Market partnered up to provide fresh, local produce to high school students, with Lew's actually setting up produce stands inside the cafeteria during lunches.

Culinary arts teacher Mike Beirao said the idea is to promote healthy eating by gently persuading students to make better choices, which can be a tricky proposition given young people's propensity to resist doing things simply someone told them to do it. 

The key, Beirao said, is giving students a choice—i.e. putting an apple on their tray vs. putting out a basket of apples and letting them decide to pick one up.

Students were able to select from a variety of free, locally grown apples, peppers, carrots, broccoli cucumbers, tomatoes and pears during their lunch periods. The idea is to get students to choose apples over French fries, or fresh veggies over potato chips.

And it seems to work, according to Beirao. He said the district has been a part of the program for the last three years and a number of students look forward to the arrival of Lew's in the cafeteria.

"Any time you can get a kid to make good choices on their own without any force or prodding, it's a positive experience," he said.

It's also a great way to support local business, he added.