School program pushes for more N.Y.-grown cafeteria food

City schools boss Carmen Fariña announced a new program to introduce more locally grown and produced foods to public school cafeterias Thursday. The program, New York Thursdays, aims to bring more food that’s made in the Empire State to students in Big Apple public schools each Thursday. Fariña said that healthy meals are key to an effective school day, and local foods bring extra value. “The program is a great opportunity for us to celebrate locally sourced foods by incorporating them into our menus, and brings a teachable moment to our students,” Fariña said. Since September, all city school menus have been modified to incorporate the foods provided through this plan. As of November, the average percentage of New York State products in Big Apple schools on Thursdays was 35%, compared with about 20% on other days. The city’s goal is to reach at least 50% of New York products on Thursdays by June. The Education Department spent $33.4 million on local food in 2015, roughly 17.5% of total school food spending.