Harvest of the Month Program
What is Virginia Harvest of the Month?
Virginia Harvest of the Month (HOM) promotes seasonal eating, encourages increased fruit and vegetable consumption, and supports local economies. Sponsored by the VDOE-SCNP, Virginia HOM provides ready-to-use materials for classrooms, cafeterias, nonprofits, farmers’ markets, and early care centers to educate children about the joys of eating seasonal, local foods.
Developing robust farm to school programming requires planning, communication, promotion, and education, and it is worth the effort! Research from the National Farm to School Network (PDF) (May 2020) shows that farm to school activities can create jobs, improve local economies, and increase meal participation.
The objective of Virginia HOM is to increase consumption of seasonal, Virginia Grown fresh fruits and vegetables so children establish healthy eating habits to last a lifetime.
Featured Items
- January: Sweet Potatoes
- February: Butternut Squash
- March: Kale
- April: Lettuce
- May: Strawberries
- June: Cucumbers
- July: Zucchini
- August: Tomatoes
- September: Sweet Bell Peppers
- October: Apples
- November: Cabbage
- December: Spinach
Nutrition Education Lesson Plans (Grades 9-10)
- January Lesson Plan: Sweet Potatoes
- May Lesson Plan: Strawberries
- October Lesson Plan: Apples
- December Lesson Plan: Spinach
Promotional Materials
Posters and Point-of-Service (POS) Signs (Grades K-5)
- Harvest of the Month Posters (PDF)
- Alternate Accessible Version (Word)
- Harvest of the Month POS Signs (PDF)
- Alternate Accessible Version (Word)
Posters and POS Signs (Grades 6-12)
Standardized Recipes
The Virginia Standardized Recipe Development Manual includes seven standardized recipes featuring Virginia Harvest of the Month items. This manual also includes information about developing standardized recipes, promoting new menu items, and much more!
The standardized recipes include:
- Apple Turnover
- Chicken Kale Caesar Wrap
- Spiced Chicken Grain Bowl
- Harvest Spinach and Apple Chicken Salad
- Hulk Fruit Smoothie
- Rise n' Shine Strawberry Oats
- Zesty Breakfast Potatoes
For More Information
To inquire about additional HOM materials, please email the SCNP Training, Program Improvement, and Grants Supervisor at Kelly.Shomo@doe.virginia.gov.