Coming Soon! Sweet & Spicy Rainbow Burrito Recipe
2025 Ohio Grown: Student Chef Showcase Champion Recipe
Hamilton City School District are the 2025 Ohio Grown: Student Chef Showcase Champions! The winning recipe, Sweet and Spicy Rainbow Tacos, includes sweet potato hummus, roasted radishes, bell peppers, carrots, fresh cucumber, pickled red onion, tart granny smith apples, and a spicy ginger sauce made with sunflower butter. The students’ recipe, adapted by the Farm to School chef and the food service department at Bexley City Schools has been standardized to meet crediting guidelines for service in federal child nutrition programs. Look for the recipe on DEW’s Farm to School webpage.
Farm to School Supports
Farm to School Culinary Professional Development
Farm to School Chef, Jim Warner, prepares Sweet and Spicy Rainbow Burrito recipe with Bexley City Schools food service staff.
Sponsors of child nutrition programs interested in having Chef Warner provide culinary training to their teams are encouraged to complete the Farm to School Chef Request to schedule. Events may be customized to meet the individual needs of the hosting sponsor and feature foods that can be easily sourced locally.
Available experiences with Chef Warner include:
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Knife Skills – Produce: This training is intended for food service workers and will last approximately 30 minutes.
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Knife Skills – Animal Proteins: This training is intended for food service workers and will last approximately 30 minutes.
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Building a Recipe with Locally Sourced Ingredients: This training is intended for food service workers and will last approximately two
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Cooking From the Garden:Intended to take place in your school or community garden using produce grown on site. This event will last approximately two hours.
Invite a Special Guest to Your Farm to School Event!
The Office of Nutrition’s mascot, Munch the Fox, is available for school and childcare visits throughout the year. Request an appearance by using this link.
Southeast Ohio Farm to School Conference
Rural Action is hosting a Farm to School Conference focused on strengthening education, producer support, and local procurement! This one-day event brings together school nutrition professionals, educators, farmers, and community partners to share strategies and grow meaningful connections. The Conference will be held March 20 at The Lodge at Hocking College. Sessions will be delivered by speakers from Ohio and West Virginia organizations such as the Ohio Farm to School Network, Feed Our Future, Project Healthy Kids, Green Umbrella, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, and the West Virginia Department of Education. Please see the event FAQ for more information.
National Nutrition Month
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This year’s theme, “Discover the Power of Nutrition”, highlights how nutrition strengthens communities.
Farm to School programs bring this theme to life by sourcing fresh, local foods for school meals and creating opportunities for hands-on learning. Local sourcing increases access to nutritious options, supports community producers, and builds lifelong wellness habits.
To learn more about National Nutrition Month, visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ webpage.
2026 Summer Summit: SUN Meals, Bright Ideas
Registration is open for the annual Summer Summit gathering. This event brings together past and future summer program sponsors, along with community partners, for two days of specialized training and networking to elevate the administration and delivery of the summer meal programs so that every Ohio child can access a healthy summer meal. This year, the conference features a dedicated track of sessions to farm to summer programming. Session topics include sourcing local foods for Program meals, a hands-on taste test activity featuring Ohio grown produce, and a panel discussion with Farm to Summer Challenge awardees. The Department’s Farm to School Chef, Jim Warner, will demonstrate a creditable recipe highlighting local foods. For more information on the Summit visit the 2026 Summer Summit webpage or contact Hannah Hart.
When: Feb. 17 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. AND Feb. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Quest Conference Center (9200 Worthington Road, Suite 400, Westerville, OH 43082)
Visit the registration page to register and view all the sessions offered. Sessions are subject to change.
Minerva Local School District
Minerva Local Schools Director of Food Services, Stacey Bettis, smiles with Minerva FFA student leaders during a Farm to School visit in October 2025.
Minerva Local Schools hosted a Farm to School event in October 2025, showcasing their local beef procurement and hydroponic grow tower produce. Stacey Bettis, Director of Food Services for Minerva Local School District, leads farm-to-school initiatives by sourcing local foods for the district. Minerva Local Schools purchased two steers raised by students at the county fair. The district had them processed at a state inspected facility and served the beef in protein-packed lunch entrees as sloppy joes and hamburger patties. The student farmers were featured on marketing posters in the lunchroom to highlight their contribution to school meals. Students also participate in farm to school through the Adopt A Cow program hosted by the American Dairy Association and growing hydroponic lettuce and herbs.
Creditable School Recipe
Beans, peas, and legumes are packed with fiber and protein, which are important for maintaining a healthy digestive system and contributing to satiety. Beans are versatile and inexpensive, adding a variety of nutrients and textures to any meal for schools on a budget.
Three-Bean Salad
(Source: Child Nutrition Recipe Box)
Child Nutrition Program Crediting Information: ½ cup (No. 8 scoop) provides 1/8 cup red/orange vegetable, 1/8 cup other vegetable, and 1/8 cup additional vegetable.
Introducing Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Farm to School Intern: Kelsie Mannasmith
The Department of Education and Workforce welcomes Kelsie Mannasmith to Farm to School! Kelsie is a senior at The Ohio State University (OSU), College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) majoring in agricultural communication. She previously earned her associate degree from CFAES Wooster in community leadership – extension education, with a minor in farm management. With previous experience at Ohio Pork Council, Beck’s Hybrids, Wayne County OSU Extension, Ohio Farm Bureau, 4-H, and FFA, Kelsie is eager to help promote agriculture and nutrition education in schools across Ohio.
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