About

Founded in 2010 by a group of Fairfax County parents alarmed at the disconnect between rising rates of childhood obesity and the quality of foods served in schools, Real Food for Kids has advocated for and won positive changes to school food policies across the greater D.C. region. It has since then generated institutionalized support for our goal of recognizing healthy school food as a critical component of children’s wellness and academic success.

Our work focuses not only on quality of foods served, but served to all, increasing school meal participation across the student body, reducing the stigma associated with federal programs and building community around access to, and enjoyment of, healthful foods. We also work with school partners to increase the number of plant-based dishes on menus for students with religious or dietary restrictions and appeal to students seeking to incorporate more plant-based foods in their diet.

To scaffold this advocacy work, Real Food for Kids operates two nutrition education programs to elevate food literacy in children. Fresh Food Explorers is designed for preschool students from low-income BIPOC households who have less access and exposure to fresh fruits and vegetables, putting them at greater risk for obesity, overweight and related health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, as a result of diet. The goals of the program are to develop nutrition competencies in young learners through engaging curriculum; to empower them to increase their consumption of fresh vegetables at school and at home; and to build the life skills to make healthy food choices as they grow.

Our annual Culinary Challenge invites students enrolled in Family & Consumer Sciences electives to create a culturally inclusive, USDA-compliant school meal. The program dovetails with our work to increase scratch-cooked foods in schools, make these available to all students regardless of socioeconomic status, and to elevate student voice in what is served in their cafeterias. Through the Culinary Challenge, student-created dishes are being served in Fairfax and by school districts in the region.

Outside of schools, our Chefs Feeding Families program, launched in 2020 at the onset of pandemic, provides locally sourced produce bags to more than 400 families. The community partnerships developed through this program enable us to address the broader challenges of food and nutrition insecurity outside school walls–challenges that disproportionately affect economically marginalized families of color.

Our community- and school-based SNAP Ambassador Program extends the outreach of social services agencies to increase SNAP enrollment among eligible residents and has contributed to rising enrollment. For nutritionally insecure families, SNAP dollars make a significant impact not only on health but economic well-being. The SNAP outreach community in Virginia views SNAP Ambassadors as a scalable model for the Commonwealth.

Our successes continue to be the result of meaningful collaborative community engagement, diverse and mission-aligned partners, and positive advocacy with a wide range of stakeholders.