Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Muskegon Area Advocates for Healthy School Meals developing a Business Plan to feed Muskegon County school children 100% local, organic food year-round?

The effort to feed 100% local, organic food in school to all Muskegon County school children involves overcoming numerous economic, public policy, and educational obstacles. Muskegon Area Advocates for Healthy School Meals is an all volunteer effort to develop a Business Plan to overcome these obstacles in a systematic way. The campaign is based on the values of transparency and ethical food production.

Who are members of the group?

Membership in in MAAHSM is open to everyone who is interested in improving the nutrition of Muskegon County School children. This 100% volunteer effort is organized, led, and staffed by teachers, parents, school administrators, medical professionals, community activists, food professionals and farmers.

Why a “Business Plan”?

MAAHSM volunteers are impatient and focused. The devastating epidemics of obesity, diabetes, allergies, early heart disease, Attention Deficit Disorder and behavior problems that now afflict our schools can not be ignored. Our goal is not just to complain, but to prepare a plan for action -- a Business Plan -- with accurate economic projections and alternatives considered. This Business Plan will describe, in functional terms, the reality we want for our children in school. "Investment in our children requires a Business Plan" -- Spencer Norman.

How can I participate in the development of the Business Plan?

The process for developing the Healthy School Meals Business Plan will be totally transparent. All meetings are open to anyone. Detailed notes from each meeting will be taken and posted on this website under Meeting Notes allowing anyone who is interested the ability to follow our discussions from afar. The completed Business Plan will be published on this website and on paper and distributed throughout the county for discussion and consideration. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Bedford at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

 
What steps can I take now before the Business Plan is completed to ensure healthy school meals for my children?

1. Become involved with the HealthySchoolMeals effort. Attend a meeting. Add your comments to the Blog. Search the Resource Section

2. Prepare your child's school lunch at home until the reforms sought by this campaign are achieved.

3. Visit the Sweetwater Local Foods Market any Saturday from 9am-1pm to find out about healthy, organic, humanely raised food.  The market is located in the Mercy General Partners Lake Campus on Harvey Street near its intersection with Pontaluna Road. Visit the market's website at www.sweetwaterlocalfoodsmarket.org for more information.

The FAQ Section is still under construction. Please feel free to add your answers to the questions that follow by emailing Chris Bedford at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

How many meals served?

Muskegon County's 12 public school districts serve approximately 1.7 million breakfasts and 4.3 million lunches every school year. 

What is the school meal budget for public school districts? For private schools?

The budget for school lunches in Muskegon County's 12 public school districts ranges from $2.33/lunch at the low end (Whitehall Public Schools) to $3.07/lunch at the high end (North Muskegon Public Schools).

What do we mean by “healthy” food grown locally and according to organic standards?
Why “local” food as a goal?
Why “organic” food as a goal?
What does “organic” mean?
What does “humane” mean for the raising of farm animals?
What do we mean by a holistic approach to student health through diet?

2. BARRIERS and PATHS to CHANGE

Public Policy.
What are the federal and state governments doing about the challenge posed by nutrition-based childhood disease and behavior?

How adequate is the federal and state response of the problem of providing healthy school meals to all children grown by local farmers?
Does current agriculture and food policy address this goal?
Why not?

What is “good” vs. “bad” school food according to public policy?
(Visual/a school lunch with analysis)
How does the new USDA food pyramid relate to our concerns?

Education.
Where do students and parents get their information about food and healthy food?

What barriers do student attitudes and knowledge pose to change?
How does student resistance to change affect current food service operations?

Where can I find information about good food?
Where can I learn to purchase, store, and prepare healthy foods grown locally?
What initiatives now exist in Muskegon County to change student attitudes towards healthy, local food?
Montague – Kyle Fiebig and the FFA kids story.

Economics.
Does local food cost more?
Does organic food cost more?

Strong feelings that we should include information on the current subsidies for “bad” food that exist within the school meal program system.

How might the Business Plan’s goal affect school budgets?
How would the goals affect Muskegon County’s economy?
How would a local, organic school meal commitment affect local farmers?
How would the Business Plan affect local fast-food restaurants?
How might the Business Plan affect community economic development?

Agriculture.
How much farm land would be needed to achieve the 100% local, organic year-round goal?

How many farmers now farm organically?
For local food consumption?
What steps will be needed to secure more local, organic food production?
How might we deal with the need to store and preserve local food for consumption during the non-growing months of the school year?
What role can “growing food” play in the hands-on education process in our schools?
What role can urban gardening and agriculture play?


Health.
What diseases are most affected by nutrition and food quality?
What steps can we take locally with our school meals to promote health and to minimize these diseases?
What steps can parents take today?
How realistic are the holistic, natural alternatives to high-tech medicines treatment of childhood diseases affected by nutrition? What evidence do we have?

Economic Development.
How might a program serving local, organically raised food for school meals affect economic development?

How will doing business with local farmers affect the local economy?

What role does food, food quality and culture, play in the decision to locate new businesses in a specific community?

3. TAKE ACTION.

What are my children being served this week at school?
Where can I find healthy food for my children today?
What strategies can I employ to get my children to try and to eat healthy food?
What specific recipes for children’s lunches work?

How can I help the Muskegon County “healthy school meals” effort?
How can I affect public policy at the national level? At the state level? At the local level?
How can I impact on the food in my child’s school?

How to talk to a Food Service Director (A Guide)
How can I get involved with the Task Force?