The Consortium Changing School Lunch in Muskegon, Michigan
February 18, 2026 | By
Six school districts in Muskegon, Michigan, saw an opportunity. If they could join forces, they could overcome staffing and operational challenges to serve students healthy meals made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. These districts offer a case study of the power of community.
Six Districts, One Big Idea
With the local food consortium in place, the next step is to launch a centralized production and processing kitchen. The central kitchen — called Muskegon Made — will support school food programs across the county.
Instead of six separate districts each trying to figure out how to prepare fresh vegetables with limited equipment and staff, a single dedicated facility will be used to receive and store bulk quantities of local ingredients, cook meals from scratch, and develop tasty recipes that actually excite students.
To bring the local food consortium and central kitchen to life, the districts needed to do more than invest in commercial-grade equipment. They’ve spent months building trust with farmers, establishing supply chains, and training staff in new cooking techniques.
Six Districts, One Big Idea
With the local food consortium in place, the next step is to launch a centralized production and processing kitchen. The central kitchen — called Muskegon Made — will support school food programs across the county.
Instead of six separate districts each trying to figure out how to prepare fresh vegetables with limited equipment and staff, a single dedicated facility will be used to receive and store bulk quantities of local ingredients, cook meals from scratch, and develop tasty recipes that actually excite students.
To bring the local food consortium and central kitchen to life, the districts needed to do more than invest in commercial-grade equipment. They’ve spent months building trust with farmers, establishing supply chains, and training staff in new cooking techniques.
Since establishing the local food consortium, the districts have paid local producers over $40,000 to date.
These dollars amount to more than just sales: Producers like family-owned vegetable farm Crisp Country Acres and third-generation blueberry growers Jawor Brothers are building new relationships with schools, while securing predictable revenue that can help sustain their operations. When schools commit to buying local, farmers can confidently scale production knowing they have reliable customers.
Thanks to these relationships, Michigan’s agricultural strengths are being infused into school meals: locally grown apples add natural sweetness, cabbage and Brussels sprouts pack nutrition, blueberries and cranberries bring antioxidants, and versatile carrots enhance everything from soups to sides.
Since establishing the local food consortium, the districts have paid local producers over $40,000 to date.
These dollars amount to more than just sales: Producers like family-owned vegetable farm Crisp Country Acres and third-generation blueberry growers Jawor Brothers are building new relationships with schools, while securing predictable revenue that can help sustain their operations. When schools commit to buying local, farmers can confidently scale production knowing they have reliable customers.
Thanks to these relationships, Michigan’s agricultural strengths are being infused into school meals: locally grown apples add natural sweetness, cabbage and Brussels sprouts pack nutrition, blueberries and cranberries bring antioxidants, and versatile carrots enhance everything from soups to sides.
During asparagus season, her high school students developed five original asparagus-based recipes through nine rounds of testing. They experimented with preparations, seasonings, and presentations, then ran taste tests with younger students, gathering feedback and refining their creations.
The project not only got students excited about asparagus, it also earned the student chefs national recognition at the 2025 National Asparagus Festival in Hart, Michigan. Their Asparagus Mediterranean Salad took top honors, while their Creamy Asparagus Soup earned the Queen’s Choice.
When students can play a role in developing recipes for their school meal menus, they learn new culinary skills and expand their palates — helping them develop healthy eating habits for a lifetime.
During asparagus season, her high school students developed five original asparagus-based recipes through nine rounds of testing. They experimented with preparations, seasonings, and presentations, then ran taste tests with younger students, gathering feedback and refining their creations.
The project not only got students excited about asparagus, it also earned the student chefs national recognition at the 2025 National Asparagus Festival in Hart, Michigan. Their Asparagus Mediterranean Salad took top honors, while their Creamy Asparagus Soup earned the Queen’s Choice.
When students can play a role in developing recipes for their school meal menus, they learn new culinary skills and expand their palates — helping them develop healthy eating habits for a lifetime.
A Triple Win: Schools, Farms, & Students
The Muskegon PLANTS grantees are innovating a genuine win-win-win. By banding together to create a local food consortium and central kitchen, the six districts will overcome funding, infrastructure, and staffing obstacles that would otherwise hinder progress. Area farmers are developing new revenue streams. And Muskegon students will have more scratch-cooked meals made with seasonal, local produce on their school menus.
This collaborative project proves that when students, farmers, and educators work together with shared vision and resources, they can transform school food.
A Triple Win: Schools, Farms, & Students
The Muskegon PLANTS grantees are innovating a genuine win-win-win. By banding together to create a local food consortium and central kitchen, the six districts will overcome funding, infrastructure, and staffing obstacles that would otherwise hinder progress. Area farmers are developing new revenue streams. And Muskegon students will have more scratch-cooked meals made with seasonal, local produce on their school menus.
This collaborative project proves that when students, farmers, and educators work together with shared vision and resources, they can transform school food.
