Conscious Kitchen, in collaboration with The Alice Waters Institute, proudly welcomed The Henry Ford to Michelle Obama School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) for the culminating event of their Farm to School Lunch Across America campaign. This impactful initiative champions the importance of locally sourced, seasonal, and regeneratively farmed organic school lunches for K–12 students—advancing a national conversation around accessible, scratch-cooked meals and their far-reaching benefits for student health, local communities, and the environment.
The day’s entirely local, organic, and seasonal meal was brought to life by celebrated Oakland Chef Tanya Holland, in partnership with the talented culinary teams from WCCUSD and The Alice Waters Institute. Students and guests at Michelle Obama School enjoyed a nourishing scratch-cooked lunch of BBQ chicken, cabbage-apple salad, roasted delicata squash, and freshly baked cornbread. A powerful sense of connection filled the dining hall as students and community members gathered together to share a joyful, nourishing meal.
Following the final lunch period, the celebration continued with an on-site organic farmers market, transforming the school into a vibrant hub of seasonal bounty. Students and staff filled reusable tote bags with produce from local organic farms and had the opportunity to meet the growers behind the food served at West Contra Costa USD’s 54 schools. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to Frog Hollow Farm, The Queen of Vegetables, Durst Organic Growers, Mimis Organic Farms, and Earl’s Organic for their participation and steadfast commitment to reshaping school meals across California.
Together, we are creating a future where every child enjoys fresh, local, organic meals in their school dining halls—a vision we’re proud to bring to life and celebrate.
