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CPS dining services achieves silver in Good Food Purchasing assessment, cites 30% local produce milestone

Cincinnati Board of Education · December 9, 2025
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Summary

Cincinnati student dining officials reported a Silver Good Food Purchasing designation for 2023–24, surpassing local-produce targets and outperforming benchmarks on carbon footprint and workforce criteria, while noting animal-welfare measures (animal-protein poundage) need improvement.

District dining services told the board Dec. 8 that Cincinnati Public Schools achieved Silver status in the Good Food Purchasing assessment for school year 2023–24.

Student Dining Director Jessica Shelley and supporting staff highlighted key metrics: 30% of produce served was locally sourced/seasonal (district comment), exceeding the program’s local target and the district’s own earlier target metrics (the packet cited a local produce target of 15% and reported 18.7% in one metric); carbon-footprint targets and workforce-value benchmarks were exceeded as well. Animal-welfare metrics — measured as reductions in pounds of animal-protein used — lagged and were flagged as an area for improvement.

Shelley described plant-forward menu options including daily vegan/vegetarian choices, taste tests to encourage adoption, and partnerships with local farms and high-school-based GAP certification to enable micro‑purchasing. Dining staff said the work has been cost‑neutral to the general fund and outlined an action plan with the Center for Good Food Purchasing to increase transparency from suppliers and expand plant-based offerings while maintaining student acceptance of menus.

Board members praised the progress and asked follow-up questions about peers, costs, supplier transparency and opportunities for student project-based learning linked to local farm programs. Dining staff said they will pursue additional supplier transparency and work with curriculum staff on project-based connections.