Local Product Purchasing
Local Food Sourcing Directories
- Wisconsin Local Foods Database: Find Farmers - find a list of local food producers that sell to schools by location.
- REAP Farm Fresh Atlas - database to find local products, farmers' markets, CSAs and more.
- Wisconsin Berry & Vegetable Growers Association - find berry and vegetable growers and see what is in season.
- Known Food Hubs, Co-ops and Aggregators that Sell to Wisconsin Schools - use this resource for contact information and service areas of known food hubs, co-ops and aggregators offering local foods.
- Something Special from Wisconsin - a directory of Wisconsin made products
Local Buying Resources
- Selling to Schools: Licensing Requirements In a Nutshell (Spanish) (Hmong) – state of Wisconsin and federal licensing requirements for buying local products as a school.
- Continuing the Momentum for Local Food in School Meals – learn about the funds schools have available to purchase local foods, procurement requirements for buying local, and reliable sources of local product.
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Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods, SP 11-2025, CACFP 09-2025, SFSP 05-2025, USDA, 5/6/25 – memo about the many ways schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any USDA Child Nutrition Program (CNP), can purchase local foods to serve in Program meals.
- Procuring Local Foods for Child Nutrition Programs Guide - resources to help child nutrition program operators incorporate local foods into their day-to-day operations.
- Connecting with Farmers In a Nutshell
- Food Service Directors' Guide to Local Grains
- Template F2S Language for the Food Service Management Company (FSMC) RFP – example verbiage SFAs that utilize FSMCs may add to the RFP (#11 in hyperlinked document).
Processing Skills
- CICN Culinary Quick Bites - hands-on training series including resources and instructional videos intended for school nutrition professionals. Featured lessons include Knife Skills, Developing Flavor, Basic Food Preparation and Cooking Techniques.
- Let’s Cook Culinary Training Courses - eight module learning series teaching kitchen skills such as knife cuts, mise en place, vegetable preparation techniques, and more.
- Chop! Chop! Culinary Skills for Wisconsin-Grown Produce in School Meals - training series walking through the steps for six recipes, featuring fresh, local produce.
- Safe & Delicious: Cooking With Ground Beef in School Kitchens
- Cooking Ground Beef Safely in Schools: Beef Stir Fry Tips
- Cooking With Dried Beans In a Nutshell
- Bulk Protein Preparation: Raw Ground Beef-Oven Method In a Nutshell
Marketing and Promotion
Wisconsin schools may use the Farm to School Logo to promote their local menu items and farm to school activities. If you would like to utilize the logo, please contact DPIF2S@dpi.wi.gov for permission.
- Harvest of the Month - materials to showcase one seasonal, Wisconsin-grown fruit or vegetable monthly.
- Menominee Harvest of the Moon - poster for each month with the food, the Menominee and English name, the Menominee moon that correlates with the month, traditional recipes, learning activities, Menominee teachings around each food, and information about how to harvest and store the food.
- Get Involved - events to create excitement around F2S!
- Sample Social Media Posts
- Producer Highlight Poster
- Farm to School Salad Bar Labels
Wisconsin schools may request free, F2S promotional items! Items include menu signage, Producer Highlights posters, window clings, magnets, and stickers
Muffin Maynia: Celebrate Spring with Wisconsin's Local Flavors!
This May (or any time of year), join us in celebrating Muffin Maynia with muffins made from Wisconsin-grown ingredients! Whether for breakfast, lunch, or a la carte, enjoy a variety of delicious muffins featuring local fruits, vegetables, eggs, and grains.
Why Muffins?Muffins are a tasty and fun way to highlight the fresh, local produce of Wisconsin. Every muffin supports the Farm to School initiative, connecting students with local farmers and healthier food options.
Featured Muffins:
Thank you to Nourish Farms for the coining of Muffin Maynia!
Menu Planning
- Crediting Local Beef
- Beef Resource Guide for K-12 School Food Service - includes information about beef cuts for school lunches, beef nutrition, storage and preparation tips, school nutrition crediting information, and large quantity recipes.
- Wisconsin Harvest of the Month Calendar
- Seasonal Availability of Wisconsin Foods
Recipes
- Home Grown: Menus of Wisconsin - 3-week lunch cycle menu.
- Home Grown: Farm to School Recipes - 23 recipes highlighting Wisconsin crops.
- Traditional Foods Toolkits - features recipes for American Indian and Southeast Asian traditional foods in two different toolkits