Sourcing food from local, ecologically sound, fair, and humane sources is a powerful way for schools to support environmental sustainability, community health, and ethical practices. This START metric emphasizes aligning food procurement with values that prioritize reduced environmental impact, support for local economies, and improved food quality. By choosing suppliers that uphold sustainable and humane standards, schools can contribute to a fairer food system while educating students about the importance of responsible consumption.
Globally, food systems are responsible for approximately one-third of greenhouse gas emissions (FAO), with industrial agriculture contributing significantly to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution. By adopting sustainable food procurement practices, schools can minimize their carbon footprint, reduce reliance on industrial farming, and model thoughtful food choices for the entire community.
Strategies for Sustainable Food Procurement
NOTE: This is not a prescriptive list; it just offers ideas to inspire action and can be tailored to fit the unique needs of each school.
Prioritize Local Suppliers
Source produce, dairy, and other ingredients from local farmers and suppliers to reduce transportation emissions.
Partner with local food co-ops or farmers’ markets to build long-term relationships with regional growers.
Choose Certified Sustainable Products
Look for certifications like USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, or Marine Stewardship Council for sustainably produced foods.
Ensure that meat, eggs, and dairy come from humane sources, such as cage-free or pasture-raised farms.
Support Seasonal Eating
Plan menus around seasonal ingredients to reduce reliance on imported or out-of-season produce.
Use seasonal offerings to educate students about local agriculture and farming cycles.
Minimize Processed Foods
Focus on purchasing whole, minimally processed foods to improve nutrition and reduce packaging waste.
Work with suppliers who align with clean-label standards, avoiding artificial additives or preservatives.
Include Plant-Based Options
Increase plant-based meal offerings to reduce the environmental impact of animal agriculture.
Use creative recipes to make vegetarian and vegan options appealing and accessible.
Collaborate with Local Farms
Establish direct purchasing agreements with local farms for fruits, vegetables, and other staples.
Explore farm-to-school programs that allow students to visit farms and learn about sustainable practices.
Engage in Food Education
Teach students about the environmental and social impact of food choices through workshops or curriculum integration.
Highlight sustainable practices, such as composting and zero-waste cooking, in school cafeterias.
Work with Sustainable Distributors
Partner with food distributors that prioritize sustainability and transparency in their sourcing.
Request detailed sourcing information to ensure alignment with the school’s procurement goals.
Support Food Justice Initiatives
Purchase from organizations or cooperatives that prioritize fair labor practices and equitable treatment of workers.
Use procurement policies to address food insecurity by donating surplus food to local shelters or food banks.
Involve Students in Procurement Decisions
Create opportunities for students to research and recommend sustainable food options.
Use student input to ensure that menu choices reflect diverse tastes and preferences while meeting sustainability goals.
Track and Share Progress
Measure the percentage of food sourced from sustainable, local, or humane suppliers.
Share success stories with the school community to build enthusiasm and support for sustainable food initiatives.
Pilot Zero-Waste or Low-Waste Food Programs
Work with suppliers to minimize packaging or deliver bulk orders with reusable containers.
Train cafeteria staff to use all parts of produce and incorporate food scraps into composting programs.
Additional Resources
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Real Food Guide
From the Real Food Challenge, an overview of the red, yellow and green categories of food.
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Coalition Building Guide
While created for university students, these strategies from the Real Food Challenge can help school members plan for building effective coalitions around sustainable food procurement.
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Real Food Assessment Tips
From the Real Food Challenge, a reference tool for researching whether a product qualifies as 'Real Food', with tips for researching products.
Schools hold the key to a healthy, sustainable and regenerative future.
They are role-models and incubators that that nurture, educate and prepare each generation for adult life.
Schools have a unique opportunity and profound responsibility to become part the transition to a sustainable, regenerative future in which people and planet can thrive.
But how do we get there?
START: Sustainability Tracking, Analytics & Roadmap Tool was created by schools, for schools, to help them develop comprehensive programs for step-by-step progress towards sustainability, regenerative practice, and student empowerment.
START provides a Roadmap for School Sustainability:
It breaks down school sustainability into clear actions (‘metrics’), such as Minimizing Waste, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and supporting Sustainable Transportation options.
However, research shows it’s not enough for a school to simply reduce its environmental impact.
Students and staff also need to learn about sustainability, and practice it in day-to-day activities, because this impacts their attitudes and behaviors when they leave school. That’s why START includes metrics like Sustainability Events for Students, Sustainability Course Content, and Sustainable Purchasing Practices.
How sustainable is our school now?
Schools use START to measure how sustainable they are now. A school’s START team investigates how their school currently operates to find their ‘sustainability baseline’ for each metric. For example, is our school a beginner, intermediate or advanced in sustainable water use? START enables schools to benchmark, track and visualize their current sustainability levels, as well as hard data around their waste, water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions.
Where should we go next, and do we collaborate for success?
What do we need to do to ‘level up’ in each metric? Once schools have their baselines, START helps them to set goals and plan for progress. START provides a central hub for school members to collaborate, document, and plan their school’s sustainability journey.
START is a subscription-based Whole School Sustainability dashboard.
It requires at least one adult school member to create a school’s START account, but it will need a team (students, teachers and staff) to grow a Whole School Sustainability program.
Interested schools can sign up for a demo or apply to set up an account.
Learn more about START here, and consider sharing the brochure with your school.
Let’s create a better future, one school at a time.
Contact us at guides@greenschoolsalliance.org if you have a free resource to contribute or recommend that can help schools take action around this specific sustainability metric.