At Spence, we believe that student
achievement depends on the vitality and health of the whole school environment.
Our sustainable food program—named Green Cuisine by the Upper School Environmental Club—is built on a commitment to nutritional, environmental and social well-being. The foods we serve support our local economy to the greatest extent possible, and our menu changes daily to include a variety of seasonal, fresh and sustainable fare.
Green Cuisine is not just about eating good food. It is also about learning where our food comes from and the impact of our food choices on our health and the planet.
Why Sustainability Practices?
From Sustainable Food Systems, LLC
For nutritional well-being
One of our primary goals as educators
is to help students prepare for healthy and productive lives. Understanding
what foods are good for the body is central to that goal. The food we serve in the school dining
room plays an important role in our students’ success in school by giving them
the nutrients they need to learn and grow.
Sustainable foods offer a
delicious and nutritional approach to the way food is produced, cooked and
shared.
For economic well-being
Food travels an average of 1,500
miles from field to fork. The US population has doubled since 1940, yet there
has been a 60 percent decline in the number of farms that provide our food. As few as
10 companies control almost 90 percent of our food supply. Shifting food spending to
local sources stimulates local economies by creating new jobs and providing
more tax revenue.
Sustainable foods are
produced close to home in order to produce meals that are fresh, nutritional and seasonal.
For social well-being
Industrialized facilities raise
animals we eat in overcrowded conditions by the thousands at a single site.
Animals are fed inappropriate foods and massive dosages of antibiotics. Farm
workers, including children, work and live in substandard conditions and are
paid low wages. Fairly traded products, available at every price level, ensure
livable wages and an improved quality of life and help farmers invest in
high-quality, diversified crops.
Sustainable foods are
produced with practices that value and care for the earth, workers and food.
For environmental well-being
Farming fertilizers, pesticides,
large-scale irrigation, harvesting methods and genetic engineering have
radically changed our food chain. Our soil, water, food supply and the very
nature of the food we eat may have already been permanently altered.
Sustainable agriculture eliminates the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified organisms. Sustainable practices also conserve water
and promote biodiversity.
Sustainability practices
support environmental, economic, social and nutritional well-being.
Why have certain foods
disappeared from the menu?
Foods that contain ingredients such
as high fructose corn syrup, transfats or additives are extremely processed
and less nutritious than freshly prepared foods.
Why eat whole wheat versus white
flour?
When you eat whole wheat you are
eating a whole grain. Whole grains contain the bran, germ and endosperm intact
along with all of the nutrients. White flour uses only the endosperm, removing more than 80 percent of the fiber, nutrients and antioxidants. Products made from whole wheat
flour provide your body with a wealth of important nutrients that are missing
from white flour products.
Why is it important to
purchase in bulk?
Purchasing in bulk lessens environmental waste by reducing the amount of packaging included
when buying many individually wrapped products. It saves money, too!
Why is it better to purchase
local foods?
Foods purchased from local sources
reduce our carbon footprint by limiting the amount of distance food has to
travel. Purchasing from nearby sources also helps our local economy by
supporting area farms and food businesses.
Does the school serve dessert?
Desserts are a treat to be enjoyed
in moderation. We serve a homemade dessert once a week, such as our popular homemade brownies, chocolate chip cookies and seasonal
fruit specialties.
Why is the school making
these changes?
The Spence School believes in doing
what's best for our community and the world around us. That commitment extends
to our food service, where our goal is to provide Spence with a dining program
that serves fresh, healthy and delicious food from sustainable
sources whenever possible.
Who is leading this effort?
Spence has hired Chef Rose Walker to
be our new Food Services Director. She is leading the kitchen team in taking
our food service program to the next level. She comes to Spence from Rockland
Country Day School where she was Executive Chef.
Spence has also partnered with an
expert in the sustainable food field, John Turenne, President of Sustainable
Food Systems, LLC (SFS). John Turenne has worked with institutions to help them
transform traditional aspects of their food service programs to healthier, more
sustainable ones. John worked closely with food pioneer Alice Waters to design,
develop and implement the internationally recognized Yale Sustainable Food
Project. John, along with Ellen Thomas of SFS, will manage the overall change
process.
Who do I talk to if I have
questions?
Please feel free to share your
questions and comments with Chef Rose. Education and empowerment are
important components of Green Cuisine. We invite feedback from our students and encourage them to feel at home in the Spence kitchen.