United Fresh Calls for Public–Private Partnership investments in school cafeteria equipment

United Fresh President & CEO Tom Stenzel issued this statement in response to the release of a new report, Serving Healthy Meals: U.S. Schools Need Updated Kitchen Equipment, from the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, a joint collaboration of The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“At a time when school meal standards call for doubling the amount and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables offered to our nation’s children, today’s report Serving Healthy Meals: U.S. Schools Need Updated Kitchen Equipment, identifies a critical gap in the equipment available to properly store and handle fresh produce. The report finds that schools would be better able to serve meals that meet the nutrition standards if investments were made in new cafeteria equipment. School districts reported their greatest equipment challenge to be for receiving and storage of fruits and vegetables. This includes equipment such as shelving and walk-in refrigerators. United Fresh applauds USDA’s announcement today of $11 million in grants to help schools purchase equipment to make preparing and serving healthier meals easier and more efficient.”‘

“Our experience has shown that America’s businesses and foundations are committed to reducing childhood obesity, improving child nutrition and improving school food environments. We urge companies and foundations to help schools nationwide upgrade their cafeteria equipment and infrastructure to make it easier for schools to serve healthier meals, including more fresh fruits and vegetables.”

For more information, visit www.unitedfresh.org or call +1 202-303-3400.