Lunch Love Community

Gr 6 Up—This unique documentary is made up of 12 short films depicting the food reform for school lunches in Berkeley, CA. Though the overall message is that success for school children begins with healthy nutrition, the short films delve into the nitty-gritty details of this concept. Ranging from three to 13 minutes, these shorts give a closer look at how the movement started, what the school's program looks like now, how students benefit from better nutrition and food knowledge, and the bigger impact food reform is having on the community. Viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the school kitchens and what goes into the food preparation for the students' lunches. Teachers share the garden and cooking projects that they are using in class to help students improve their food knowledge and live healthier. Though the Berkeley food reform began with lunches, it has broadened to deal with other issues: food deserts, diabetes and obesity, and poor school performance. Diverse members of the community work together to find solutions for these problems and help other communities to replicate the reform. Accompanying this program is a handy educator guide. It includes an explanation for each film, as well as discussion questions to help viewers explore the informational content.