At this year’s Massachusetts Farm and Sea to School Conference, JSI had the pleasure of hosting an energizing hands‑on activity station: “The Power of Taste Tests: A Culinary Demo and Sampling for the New Harvest of the Month Culinary Workshops.” This interactive session showcased JSI’s NEW soon-to-be-released culinary workshop focused on simple and delicious student-tested recipes highlighting the best features of Massachusetts HOTM crops.
Led by the JSI chefs, the session brought Farm to School concepts to life through an engaging food demonstration and a sampling of three recipes from the workshop. Participants had the chance to see culinary skills in action, understand the impact of student taste tests to promote seasonal and locally-sourced fruits and vegetables, and learn how to incorporate new HOTM recipes into their school meals program that have been standardized and student-approved.
By highlighting the new HOTM culinary workshop, the demo offered school nutrition professionals practical ideas they can bring back to their own programs, as well as recognize how JSI can help support the Farm to School movement through culinary training and cafeteria engagement. From showcasing seasonal ingredients to modeling effective taste testing routines, the session emphasized how these small but impactful activities can build excitement around local foods—one bite at a time.
Looking for JSI Workshop recipes? Check out the Resources page for more information!