The Hawai‘i Garden to Cafeteria Program (G2C) allows students to safely grow, harvest, and deliver fresh fruits and vegetables from a school garden or school farm to the cafeteria serving that same school.
Garden to Cafeteria is an excellent opportunity to connect our keiki and 'ōpio (children and youth) with where their food comes from. Being able to connect directly with the food they eat, especially when it is grown by them in their own school garden or farm, increases the likelihood they will taste and develop a preference for fruits and vegetables.
All schools are welcome and encouraged to also use these materials to implement your G2C program, but there are no current guidelines from the Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE) to establish new and returning G2C programs.
Garden to Cafeteria (G2C) programs around the United States connect students with healthy eating by allowing them to grow, harvest, and serve fresh produce from school gardens in their cafeterias. Nationally, standout programs include Denver Public Schools, where students have supplied over 5,000 pounds of garden-grown produce to salad bars across 250 schools, where their proceeds are reinvested to sustain the garden's production. In Chicago, the “Eat What You Grow” initiative enables students to grow, harvest, and eat their own produce, supported by Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training and proper food safety protocols. Austin’s Garden to Café program designates garden leaders to ensure safety and align their crop rotations with cafeteria menus, while Pasadena Unified School District’s model features “production gardens” managed by students and staff, with district-wide support and established food safety protocols. Locally in Hawai‘i, G2C is part of a broader Farm to School movement, aiming to increase local food in school meals while maintaining proper food safety and procurement requirements. Currently, DOE public and public non-charter schools
Why G2C With HIDOE School Food Services?
How to Apply your School for G2C?
Process to Become a G2C School
Creating your G2C Team
Background of G2C Plan
What is the G2C Food Safety Plan?
What produce can we include in G2C?