Highlights from the 2026 Alaska School Nutrition Association’s annual conference
Over the course of the conference, conversations kept circling back to a central message, that “farm to school” isn’t just a program, it’s a relationship between students and their food, between schools and local producers, and between health, culture, and place.
From calorie counts and sodium levels to whole grain requirements and procurement rules, school nutrition staff are navigating an intense web of compliance to ensure good school meals.
While school buildings were closed to students on March 16, 2020 by state-issued Health Mandates; many districts have still been feeding students throughout the state. School nutrition professionals across Alaska have transitioned their programs from the cafeteria to meals-to-go, bus route stops, and even home delivery. In an average day, schools in Alaska serve approximately 48,000 lunches; a three-quarters of which are to children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Across the state schools knew the impact closure would have on families.
(Editor’s note: The following item is a letter to the editor from the Alaska Food Policy Council sent to several newspapers around Alaska regarding cuts to the Farm to School […]