︎ Despite agriculture being the #1 economic engine in Arkansas, USDA declared this state the most food insecure state in the nation.  Most food grown in AR is “exported,” then processed and then brought back.

_{USDA report (Sept. 2024) (see page 33): https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/109896/err-337.pdf?v=2762.2} 

︎ In addition to physical growth, intellectual capacity and social skills, food insecurity impacts students’ attendance in school.

_{Journal of Agriculture & Food Security (March}

_{2017) https://agricultureandfoodsecurity.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40066-016-0083-3}

_{The Journal of Nutrition (Dec. 2005) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622105109?via%3Dihub}

_{National Institutes of Health (July 2001) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11433053/}

︎ A healthy diet is associated with improved cognitive function, reduced absenteeism, improved mood, and improved academic performance.

︎ Healthy eating can help achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, consume important nutrients, and reduce the risk of developing health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, iron deficiency, dental caries (cavities).

_{U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Childhood Nutrition Facts: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.html}

︎ Schools are uniquely positioned to empower students to learn about and practice healthy eating behaviors; include nutrition education throughout the school day.

︎ Students who participate in farm-to-school activities have increased knowledge about nutrition and agriculture, and are more willing to try new foods and consume more fruits and vegetables.

_{U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Nutrition Education: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/school_nutrition_education.htm}

︎ When students are taught nutrition, they are able to adopt new behaviors that contribute to increased nutrient intakes, better health outcomes, higher performance on tests, improved grades and knowledge retention, and lowered instances of absenteeism.

_{Let’s Eat Healthy: https://www.healthyeating.org/blog/detail/nutrition-education-in-schools-supports-health}

︎ Intake of ultra-processed food is associated with adverse mental health, based on display of symptoms in common mental disorders, depression and anxiety.

_{https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9268228/}

The C.H.E.F. program aims to offer nutritious scratch cooking in school cafeterias, connecting them with classrooms and communities in Arkansas and Tennessee.

Locally sourced foods often need kitchen preparation, which requires culinary skills. The C.H.E.F. Challenge plans to place two Chef Ambassadors in selected schools to help nutrition staff cook with local produce from nearby farms.

Over the next two years, the initiative will implement new processes, create recipes, educate children and staff, gather data, and develop models to enhance culinary skills and education in schools.

For more information please contact Karen Brazzeal, C.H.E.F. Challenge Grant Manager, at hfprogrammanager@gmail.com