Better Food at the Harvest Fest

At PS 146/The Brooklyn New School, we've been trying to make changes in a lot of different ways. One thing we started working on last year was making the food better at our annual Harvest Fest. Last year it was a little dicey. The organizers (parents who put on this event every year) did not want a bunch of new people storming their meeting, demading they get rid of French fries, cotton candy and potato chips. There was one very tense planning meeting I heard about, with food people and the organizers yelling at each other. Not good. In the end, small but important changes were made -- we got rid of the fried food (it was a safety issue, mostly), and we had chicken sausages.

This year the organizers were amazing and agreed to let us take over the food completely. I trod much more lightly than happened last year, and made lots of compromises, and found them to be great to work with. When you factor in efficiency, cost, and appeal, you have to make compromises, especially the first year. But we got lots of restaurant donations and made a lot of small steps forward, and we all worked together really well, which I feel was a great triumph.

Plus, it is a rising tide: the organizers took steps toward having more movement activites and games, to get the kids moving and exercising. Next year we all want to have square dancing.

This is our new and improved menu:
Hot dogs: tofu, turkey and beef (donated, so they are not upscale or nitrate-free)
Organic burgers (from Costco)
Gourmet Sausages (donated from Fairway)
Cornbread made by the kindergarten families
Vegetarian Chili (made by Blue Ribbon, as last year)
Regular Chili (made by Naidre's)
Pumpkin Soup (made by applewood)
Cole slaw (made by a parent)

Popcorn -- with olive oil, instead of the hydrogenated oil packets the popcorn comes with
Cotton candy (eh, what can you do?)
Apples and apple cider (from Red Jacket Orchards)
Pie (made by parents - a tradition at the festival)

I think it is a great step forward. Next year will be even better. Of course it is goiong to rain this weekend, when the festival is happening, but we'll have it inside. I'll let you all know how it goes, and post pictures. (Or you can come see/taste for yourself - Saturday, Octover 27, 610 Henry Street in Carroll Gardens!)

-Larissa/Brooklyn/PS 146