Breakfast and Lunch Program

Seed-to-Table

The Philip’s Academy Seed-to-Table Program is a comprehensive food program, which teaches through participation and demonstration, the cycle of our food and its affect on our bodies. With an understanding of how food is grown, nurtured, harvested, cooked and served, students have a comprehensive understanding of the importance of food and the food cycle and how best to be able to make decisions (both short and long term) regarding taking care of their bodies and the planet.

Our students take a great deal of pride in the food service program. Their pride is based on the privilege of eating nutritious food, but their true benefit is a maturing of sensibilities. They demonstrate a realistic understanding of the holistic approach that their school community takes in challenging issues like childhood obesity, malnutrition and diabetes.

From the table, food goes into our mouths…but where then? Our bodies are complex and wonderful machines that students learn to respect and upkeep in our health and wellness curriculum that begins in our dining room. Students learn critical distinctions such as the difference between fats and saturated fats, good and bad energy, whole wheat and split wheat, biceps and triceps, cardio and aerobic, healthy and unhealthy sleep, and so many other subjects that would be published universally if our bodies came with instruction manuals.

Our Seed to Table Lunch Program features lunches made-from-scratch using unprocessed and when available, local ingredients. In addition to our hot entrees, our salad bar is host to an array of fresh and seasonal ingredients. With lunches served family-style, each student has a responsibility ranging from setting the table to serving the food, a practice that instills a strong sense of community and inter-connectedness.

Every student at Philip’s Academy participates in nourishing his or her body with a delicious, fresh, seasonal, sustainable and nutritious lunch. To exemplify the importance of healthy eating and community, this program is aimed at providing students with healthy meals while building a deep understanding of the importance of a well-balanced diet…this is a priority. The number one health epidemic in this country relates to the food our children consume. Part of the education at Philip’s Academy must address learning to live a healthy life based on good nutrition and meaningful exercise.

As we believe that life is given more meaning and beauty with the daily ritual of the tables, lunches are served family style. Students and staff are involved in all aspects of the meal including table setting, serving, communal eating and clean up and composting.

Our hope for our students is to build a connection between personal health and the origins of their food while instilling a strong sense of community and an understanding of sustainability. Our goal is for all students to learn the vital relationship of food to agriculture and of food to culture in general, and how food affects the quality of our everyday lives…after all, we are what we eat.

We believe in the importance of this program and that its lessons of food and community will last a lifetime.

Our food service program provides lunch and breakfast on a daily basis. We use our food values and ingredient standards to guide the preparation and planning of our daily meals.