To emphasize their commitment to improving the health of the nation's schoolchildren, some of the largest school districts in the nation have banded together to participate in Better Beef Days, serving sustainably raised beef to students during National School Lunch Week, October 11-15, 2010.

These five districts, all members of School Food FOCUS, made the decision to serve grassfed beef during this annual week of school lunch awareness to show the food industry and government authorities that schools want more healthful, more sustainably produced and regionally sourced food for their children.

OUSD's Nutrition Services team works hard every day to serve high-quality food to schoolchildren, and offering sustainably raised beef helps to reach their goals of nutritional and culinary excellence.
Raising livestock on grass is natural and cost-effective, resulting in reduced dependence on fossil fuels, synthetic fertilizers and herbicides, and in heightened soil fertility and carbon fixing, which helps combat climate change. In addition, a growing number of studies shows that grassfed meat contains higher levels of beneficial vitamins and nutrients, including conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a proven anti-carcinogen; vitamin E and beta carotene, known antioxidants; and omega-3 fatty acids, essential for reducing cholesterol levels and heart disease risk.

To celebrate, on October 14 OUSD served locally sourced grassfed beef hot dogs from Coleman Ranch in Petaluma, CA in all District schools as part of its Ideal Meal, alongside antibiotic-free chicken, locally baked cornbread, and on locally sourced whole-grain buns.

For more information about OUSD's innovative Nutrition Services programs, please contact Jennifer LeBarre at jennifer.lebarre@ousd.k12.ca.us.