006: Taste of Learning: Bridging the Gap Between Food and Academics with Laura La Vacca

Essential Ingredients Podcast

“They know they're going to get taken care of when they come to school. That's one of the most important things that we can do, and then they're ready to learn.” —Laura La Vacca

Food and nutrition are often overlooked as the most important part of a child's day, despite their crucial role in fueling young minds and bodies. Yet, while schools play a vital part in ensuring students have access to healthy, nourishing meals, the integration of food education into the curriculum remains a challenge.

Laura La Vacca is the Food Service Director of Burlington School District in Vermont. Her primary role is to oversee the district's federally funded meal programs and spearhead initiatives to incorporate local, fresh produce into school cafeterias.

From the importance of building trust with students to the transformative power of hands-on food education, this conversation offers valuable insights into the future of school nutrition and its potential to shape the next generation's relationship with food.

Tune in as Justine and Laura discuss the importance of building trust and relationships with students to encourage them to try new, healthy foods, the transformative impact of hands-on food education, the challenges of balancing federal nutrition guidelines with student preferences and limited resources, he vital role of school nutrition programs in providing nourishing meals and a sense of community for all students, plus much more.

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Laura La Vacca is the nutritionist for the Burlington School District in Vermont, bringing over two decades of experience in school nutrition to her role. Responsible for overseeing the district's federally funded meal programs, Laura is dedicated to integrating local, fresh produce into school cafeterias and empowering students to develop a lifelong love of nutritious foods through hands-on education and community-based partnerships.

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Episode Highlights:

00:49 USDA Guidelines and Requirements for Meal Planning

04:24 The Impact of Peer Influence and Hands-On Experiences

07:23 Healthy Meals for the Community

11:17 The Number of Food-Insecure Students

15:02 Integrating Food and Nutrition Into Education

22:01 Mission: Sustainable School Nutrition Programs

25:06 The Need for Continued Advocacy