CFK Reports From: Summer Food Service Program Food Tasting Fair
Event: Food Tasting Fair
Organized By: DC State Education Office
Where/When: Beacon House, March 30, 2006

Report by: Roshin Mathew

Listen to the audio version of this field report.

As summer approaches, many parents are asking themselves this question: "Will my child have enough healthy food to eat this summer?" To help answer this question, the DC State Education Office held a food tasting fair for the District’s Summer Food Service Program.

More than seven vendors were on site, and they were doling out portions of macaroni and cheese, green beans, fresh salads, jumbo grapes, and baked chicken to DC area children and summer food site sponsors.

Each participant received a questionnaire to fill out while eating. The food was rated, on a scale of 1 to 5, on appearance, flavor, smell, and texture. My casual survey among the children revealed that the top food items were: chicken, rice, green beans, corn and spaghetti.

In addition to chatting with students, I talked to Lincoln Jenkins, the programs coordinator of the Child and Adult Food Program and the Free Summer Meals Program. He explained that the Free Summer Meals Program feeds children healthy food during the summer months and said that "once you get out there and talk with the kids, you can see that there is a need for this kind of program."

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides reimbursement to institutions that sponsor the distribution of free, nutritious meals and snacks to children 18 and younger. Meals and snacks are also available to persons over age 18 who participate in school programs for people who are mentally or physically challenged.

Sponsors must follow regulations and be responsible, financially and administratively, for running the program. A sponsored site is the physical location, approved by the DC State Education Office, Special Nutrition and Commodities Program (SNAC), where SFSP meals are served during a supervised time period. At most sites every child is eligible for a meal as long as half of the children come from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level.

Summer Food Service locations in Washington DC.