One of the most noticeable elements of Valley School’s food service program is the variety of fresh foods available to students, faculty, and staff. The salad bar, in particular, has become an opportunity to introduce students to a broader selection of vegetables, fruits, proteins, and creative combinations. Lower School students created colorful posters this past spring that still hang in the Dining Room, encouraging the community to try different, healthy foods at mealtimes. This year, a three-paneled display that students made to help community members sits at each lunch table to remind our community members how to practice the Valley Core Value of “Cultivating Wellness”.

Alongside traditional favorites, the Food Services staff prepares a variety of different nourishing salads throughout the school year. Some examples of these freshly prepared salads include a kale apple craisin salad, spinach salad, whole-grain pasta salad to a black bean corn salad. Chicken salad, grilled chicken strips, and organic hard-boiled eggs provide alternative protein options, allowing students to build a more substantial meal while exploring different flavors and textures.

Fresh fruit is offered regularly, and students have daily access to fresh apples at lunch and during recess each day. The emphasis on food variety also encourages students to step outside their usual preferences. By offering different ingredients and combinations, Mrs. Snyder and her staff provide a welcoming environment for children to try something new, discover foods they enjoy, and build confidence in making healthy choices.

Valley School’s commitment to fresh food extends beyond the kitchen to the farms and producers in the surrounding community. By sourcing seasonal produce, dairy, and protein from local suppliers, our school community is investing in both student wellness and the regional agricultural industry.

“At Valley School, we see the food we serve as a reflection of our Core Values: Build Community, Cultivate Wellness, Embrace Integrity, and Seek Wisdom,” explains Mrs. Snyder. “Our partnerships with local, sustainable farms allow us to provide students with fresh, nutritious ingredients while supporting responsible farming practices and our local economy.”

One of those partnerships holds a special connection to our school community. Andrew Williams, a Valley School alumnus from the Class of 2006, owns People’s Farm in Ligonier, which delivers a wide variety of seasonal produce to the School’s kitchen each week. Recently harvested vegetables appear on the salad bar, accompanied by signage identifying People’s Farm as their source. Fresh herbs from the farm are also incorporated into recipes throughout the lunch menu.

“This connection helps students understand where their food comes from,” Sharon adds. “When they see the name of a local farm alongside the vegetables they’re choosing, it creates an opportunity to learn about seasonal foods, explore new flavors, and appreciate the people who grow what we eat.”

People’s Farm supplies carrots, radishes, spring mix, melons, zucchini, squash, and fresh herbs for salads and side dishes. These ingredients bring seasonal variety to the Dining Room while giving students regular opportunities to experience locally grown produce.

Other regional suppliers contribute to the quality and variety of Valley’s meals. Pleasant Lane Farms provides cheese from their farm. Each spring, thanks to contributions to the Valley Fund, Lower School students experience the operations of a dairy farm by going on a field trip to Pleasant Lane Farms in Latrobe. Menzie Beef Farms also supplies the school with local, hormone-free, grass-fed beef. Horizon organic milk is served daily, adding another thoughtfully selected option to the School’s menu.

Sourcing ingredients locally and seasonally supports Valley School’s efforts to prioritize freshness and make thoughtful purchasing decisions. It also creates opportunities to introduce students to responsible food production and the role local farms play in a healthy community.

Herbs cultivated in the community garden—including cilantro, basil, parsley, and numerous other varieties—are also incorporated into meals prepared by the kitchen staff. These school-grown ingredients provide another connection between growing food and enjoying it at the table.

Behind these menu choices is a focus on preparing food from scratch whenever possible. Fresh ingredients and in-house preparation allow the food service team to build meals around quality products while creating opportunities to introduce students to different foods.

This work requires planning, sourcing, and preparation, particularly when incorporating seasonal produce and ingredients from local suppliers. Under Mrs. Snyder’s leadership, the kitchen staff has taken the time to roast meats in an effort to eliminate processed deli meats. Most recently, the team tenderly roasted turkey in the ovens, which was then sliced by the kitchen staff and served for lunch. The Valley Fund helps support Mrs. Snyder to make these investments in the student dining experience, expanding the range of nutritious choices available at both snack and lunchtime.

The impact is felt in the everyday details: a fresh apple offered at recess, a new salad on the serving line, locally sourced vegetables in a side dish, or a whole-grain version of a familiar favorite. Each choice contributes to an environment in which healthy eating is encouraged through experience, accessibility, and variety.

Valley School’s approach also complements our broader commitment to helping children develop habits that support lifelong wellness. Students are encouraged to try new foods and make thoughtful choices, while shared family-style meals in the Dining Room and outdoor picnic lunches provide opportunities for students and faculty to eat together as a community. Students also participate in setting tables and cleaning up after meals, helping to make mealtime a shared responsibility.

The Valley Fund provides important support for the many elements that make a Valley School education unique. In the Dining Room, that support helps advance a food service program focused on fresh ingredients, local partnerships, and nutritious options that meet students where they are while encouraging them to explore something new.

From the farms that supply seasonal produce and locally raised beef to our own gardens, Valley School’s food service program demonstrates how thoughtful sourcing and preparation can shape the daily experience of students. Whole grains, organic products, fresh-roasted turkey, made-from-scratch meals, and a wider variety of fruits and vegetables are not simply menu additions. They are part of an ongoing commitment to nourish growing children and help them develop positive relationships with food.

At Valley School, wellness is cultivated through everyday choices as well as larger initiatives. With support from the Valley Fund, the Dining Room continues to offer students more opportunities to enjoy fresh, wholesome food—one meal, one snack, and one new flavor at a time.