Chartwells School Dining Services Introduces a School Garden Guide

RYE BROOK, N.Y. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - According to the Journal of American Dietetics, sixth-grade students involved in a garden-based nutrition education program increased their fruit and vegetable consumption by 2.5 servings per day, more than doubling their overall consumption. In addition, a class of fifth-graders who participated in garden-based lessons scored 15 points higher on science tests than students who learned in a traditional classroom.

Chartwells School Dining Services believes that school gardens provide an excellent opportunity to educate students about agriculture, food origin, nutrition, and core academic subjects, in addition to promoting life-long healthy eating habits. Because of this belief and the growing popularity and prevalence of school gardens nationwide, Chartwells is introducing a newly developed Garden Guide. The Guide is a comprehensive resource for Chartwells operators, school educators and community members who are interested in developing and maintaining school gardens.

"School gardens are an exciting way for Chartwells to introduce new, healthy foods into student's diets. The gardens also provide an opportunity for physical activity throughout the day by bringing the classroom outdoors for hands-on learning," said Keith Cullinan, President, Chartwells School Dining Services. "We are proud to provide a Garden Guide that will help food service operators and other school stakeholders make informed decisions when implementing school garden programs."