FRESH Network: Assisting Trenton Special School District with Understanding Contaminants in School Meals and Transitioning to Better Food Systems

Project Abstract Trenton Special School District (Tennessee) FRESH Network: Assisting Trenton Special School District with Understanding Contaminants in School Meals and Transitioning to Better Food Systems Across Tennessee and much of the country, school meals are often heavily reliant on ultra- processed foods—items high in sodium, additives, and preservatives that can negatively impact children’s long-term health and cognitive development. At the same time, the Mississippi River Delta region (Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi) is rich in agricultural resources, presenting a powerful opportunity to reimagine school food systems using local, scratch-cooked, and nutritionally dense meals. This project, supported by the FDA Research Study of Contaminants in School Meals (U18), will pilot a transformative school meal model in participating districts across Arkansas. The project includes nutritional and contaminant testing of both vendor- supplied and scratch-cooked meals, robust student engagement through taste tests and surveys, and professional development for school nutrition teams. Funding will also support the purchase of critical equipment like combi ovens, the integration of farm-fresh ingredients, and the development of aligned curriculum for CTE and health-related classes. Led in partnership with Wellness in the School, Thaden School, Healthy Flavors Arkansas and University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, the project will generate data-driven insights on student preferences, meal quality, and health outcomes. The initiative aims to empower schools to improve food safety, nutrition, and engagement while fostering sustainable, community-rooted food systems that can serve as a national model.