Healthy Flavors, Inc.

We 🫶 our Earth 🌎💕🌱 #farmingfortomorrow #happyearthday #earthday #farm #farmersforearthday #farmingforthefuture #savetheplanet #oneplanet

🚨 Tell Congress: Don't cut meals for 12 million kids: https://lnkd.in/ewgfXh3M Among the current changes in federal policy, school meals are at risk. The Community Eligibility Provision as been in place since 2010 to successfully help low-income school meal programs focus on feeding kids, not on red tape. Proposed changes would cut funding to this program, putting more burdensome paperwork on parents and families, educators, and school nutrition professionals. The farm to school movement believes the school cafeteria should be a welcoming, educational experience for all kids that benefits them now and prepares them for a healthy future. Let your legislators know that measures like these proposed cuts have no place if we are to make progress toward that vision.

It should be EASY, after decades of wellness advocacy, to ensure that kids are served only the healthiest foods in schools — but unfortunately, that’s far from reality. Our children deserve better. They deserve fresh, nourishing meals that support their growth, learning, and long-term health — not trays filled with ultra-processed, nutrient-poor foods. Yet we continue to face barriers driven by outdated policies, industry influence, supply chain gaps, and insufficient funding. That’s why we have to keep showing up. We have to keep speaking up — for our kids, for our families, and for the farmers working hard to grow real food. I recently had the honor of speaking on behalf of National Farm to School Network school at the Assembly Education Committee hearing in support of AB 1264. I stood alongside passionate advocates Nora LaTorre Eat Real Certified Michael Jochner FSD, Kristin Zellhart and advocates from Environmental Working Group all rallying behind Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel the author of this critical bill that would remove highly processed foods from school menus. We know that healthy school meals are foundational — not only for academic success, but for a lifetime of wellness. AB 1264 is a powerful step toward aligning school food policy with what we know is right for our children. #Health #Wellness #Children #Families #Farmers #FarmtoSchool #AB1264 #SchoolMealsMatter

Big News! In March, Palomar Group AI and Healthy Flavors launched our first pilot Plate Data collection system at the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club! This innovative system helps us analyze food waste and provide valuable insights to Child Nutrition Directors, ensuring better meal planning and less waste—so our children get the nutrition they need! Excited for what’s ahead as we continue working towards smarter, more sustainable food solutions! A big thank you to Lisa Irwin, Child Nutrition Director, and Beth Presley, CEO of the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Club, for partnering with us to implement this pilot with the goal of better nutrition for kids! #HealthyFlavorsAR #CHEFChallenge #FoodInnovation #ChildNutrition #WasteReduction #BetterForOurKids

Conway Locally Grown customers have been enjoying Healthy Flavors Arkansas mushrooms in the last month. We’ve focused on colorful varieties of oyster, which are not just beautiful but locally grown, freshly harvested, and full of nutrients! Next week, we’ll expand our reach to the Arkansas Locally Grown market in Little Rock. We have also been taking steps to introduce new varieties this fall. Thanks to our Conway customers who have proven that this is a worthwhile endeavor that meets their needs. We are honored to play our role in boosting the health of our neighbors in central Arkansas! According to WebMD: "Mushrooms are a low-calorie food and pack a nutritional punch. Loaded with many health-boosting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, they've long been recognized as an important part of any diet. Mushrooms exposed to ultraviolet light are a good source of vitamin D, an important component for bone and immune health." #SupportLocal #HealthyFlavorsAR #ConwayLocallyGrown #FarmFresh #MushroomLove #mushrooms #mushroomfarm #localmushrooms

‼️ Share how you are impacted by the cancellation of the grant program, or if you are having any issues with funds granted in FY 2024 or earlier here: https://lnkd.in/ewpTg44g ‼️ Sign the Petition to reinstate the grant program and Local Food for Schools and Child Care funding; https://lnkd.in/e7jwikCe ‼️ Contact your legislators with Action Alert: https://lnkd.in/eFx3SsDW

🚨 School meals & farm to school programs are currently at risk. Join us this Tuesday for a critical discussion on the federal policy shifts that impact school meals for all, farm to school, and early care & education (ECE) programs. We’ll break down: ⚠️ The termination of USDA’s Local Food for Schools & Child Care program ⚠️ Proposed changes to the National School Lunch Program’s Community Eligibility Provision and income verification process ⚠️ Proposed cuts to SNAP that could affect farm to ECE efforts Hear from expert panelists Sandy Curwood, Ada Ngoddy, & Lindsay Aguilar on what this means for school nutrition, local food sourcing, and meal access. 🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/ewx8rtYg

Exciting News from Trenton Elementary! This week, we were honored to work with Trenton Special School Dist Child Nutrition Director, Lisa Seiber-Garland, at her school. Lisa acts on and advocates for feeding the Trenton students with the best locally grown food possible. She is also a C.H.E.F. Challenge Steering Team member (C.H.E.F. = Children’s Health through Education and Food). Being a change agent means she is willing to take risks and persevere through challenges. So we are pleased that she agreed to be a site for piloting the plate data system! The plate data system will track food selection and post-consumption leftovers, providing valuable insights to guide kitchen staff, meal planners, and child nutrition directors in creating meals students love while reducing waste. We are so thankful to our partner Palomar Group AI for making this innovative technology possible! Through this USDA Farm to School grant, we’re strengthening the connection between classrooms, cafeterias, and communities — helping students make healthier food choices while supporting local agriculture. Big things are happening in school nutrition, and we’re excited to be part of the journey! #FarmToSchool #CHEFChallenge #HealthyKidsHealthyFutures #AIforGood #schoolnutrition

🔥Exciting things are cooking at Brightwater! 🔥 Chef Steve Jenkins, Ph.D. and his incredible School Food Service team at Brightwater brought their skills to Thaden School for a special taste-testing session as part of recipe development for the C.H.E.F. Challenge! 🥦 🥕🌽 This hands-on collaboration is all about crafting delicious, nutritious, and student-approved meals. Stay tuned to see which recipes make the final cut! #CHEFChallenge #Brightwater #SchoolFoodInnovation #TasteTest #FoodieFun #Schoolnutrition

CU Healthy Foods partner Dan Spatz, owner of Healthy Flavors in Conway, AR, spoke with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last month about how the federal funding freeze is impacting his farm. He now faces uncertainty over a contract with the USDA — funding that helps sustain local agriculture. "Our farm is here to serve the community and provide nutritious meals to local school kids," Dan told the Democrat-Gazette. "If (the new administration) doesn't follow through on this obligation, they are harming our local communities." Read more about Dan’s fight to keep local food accessible: https://lnkd.in/gMvGv9FA