Tasty Topics

Celebrating Farm to School in Springfield: Connecting Students to Local Food

Nurturing Minds and Bodies with Fresh, Local Goodness

For Immediate Release

By Francie Lin Globe Correspondent, Updated May 28, 2024,

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (March 5, 2024) – Sodexo, a leader in serving and providing meals to students across the U.S., and Springfield Public Schools announced the fifth anniversary of Home Grown Springfield, a dining program dedicated to sourcing locally, providing quality food options and addressing student hunger among PreK-12 students. Funded in part by the city of Springfield, the program’s 62,000 sq.-ft centrally located culinary and nutritious center has generated more than 37 million meals and increased meal participation by 81 percent since 2019. “Home Grown Springfield is a groundbreaking endeavor, revolutionizing K-12 dining in a way that’s never been done before,” said Joe Smith, Regional Vice President for Sodexo At School. “We’re making 5 to 7 scratch options a day for students, and ultimately, providing a culinary experience you don’t find in a typical school cafeteria. Additionally, this initiative demonstrates an enormous commitment to sustainability and waste reduction, local sourcing – with 25 percent of food costs spent on New England sourced food items -- and increasing meal participation.” Home Grown Springfield is redefining school meals with a commitment to made-from-scratch cooking and baking. From scratch-made falafel to scratch muffins, more popular with students and healthier than the typical prepackaged variety, the district’s central kitchen is home to students, staff and community food favorites found nowhere else. In addition to made-from-scratch dishes, Home Grown Springfield proudly sources ingredients locally, including corn tortillas made from locally grown corn, lettuce from Little Leaf Farms and pizza dough from One Mighty Mill.