Tools and resources to help food service professionals successfully purchase food grown and raised in New York
Photo credit: Josh Baldo
Purpose of the Menu Planning Module
When you start planning your menu, whether it be a cycle, monthly, or daily special menu, the goal is to provide the freshest, most appealing recipes for your audience. Local products can help but figuring out how to include and procure these items can be challenging.
This toolkit module will explore how menu planning with local foods can be achieved by reviewing best practices and hearing examples from those who have surmounted familiar obstacles. Case studies provide inspiration, practical advice, and tools to help your institution procure the freshest products while supporting the local economy and nutritional needs of your audience.
This “Menu Planning” module complements the first toolkit module, “Building a Solid Foundation for Farm to School”, which addressed aspects of getting started. The first module highlights the importance of building a solid Farm to School team, defines the parameters around farm to school, and helps with action steps in planning your school team. We recommend revisiting this initial module in setting up a strong foundational framework for your Farm to School program.
Forthcoming modules will offer other additional resources. The FINYS team welcomes input on the gaps in knowledge or challenges faced by your institution that you would like to see addressed. Contact us at [email protected] and sign up for updates to learn of new resources and trainings.