District Offers Locally Grown Food For Healthier Lunches

Students in the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District are being welcomed back to the cafeteria with some healthier lunch menu options. The district plans to replace many side items with locally grown food. It is all a part of a joint program with St. Louis University's Nutrition and Dietetics Department. College students and interns from the nutrition and dietetics program will prepare the lunch items in the kitchen. About 750 meals a day will be delievered to the district.

The program is funded by a $248,000 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health.

District Head Chef Robert Rusan and Director of Communications, Tom Wickersham talked about how the new side dishes not only benefits the students, but the local farmers who grow the produce.