When school lets out, millions of low-income children lose access to the school breakfasts, lunches, and afterschool snacks they receive during the regular school year. The Summer Nutrition Programs help fill this gap by providing free meals and snacks to children who might otherwise go hungry. North Carolina Farm to Summer is an extension of the Farm to School initiative encouraging NC Summer Nutrition Programs to incorporate local foods in their summer meals and offer engaging activities around agriculture and nutrition education. Participating in NC Farm to Summer is a great way to support local North Carolina farmers and increase NC Summer Nutrition Program participation by improving the quality of meals with these tasty, fresh foods!
Celebrate NC Farm to Summer Week July 17-23 and keep incorporating local foods and activities in your Summer Nutrition Programs all summer long. Take the NC Farm to Summer Challenge, by serving locally grown food in meals and/or snacks, teaching or learning about agriculture, nutrition, and local food, sharing or posting about #NCFarmtoSummer activities, and signing up for the NC Crunch!