Is food fresh?

What began 15 years ago as a way to test market strawberries grown in North Carolina has now expanded into a school food program that posted over a million dollars in sales of fresh fruits and vegetables from North Carolina farmers during the 2011-12 school year. And the program teaches students about eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

Tom Nixon, a 5th grader at Penny Road Elementary School in Cary, looks forward to lunch period with his friends everyday around noon. Nixon didn’t know, however, that much of the fruits and vegetables he’s served during lunch period are grown close to where he lives in Cary, North Carolina.

“I think that’s very cool to have it grown in the area,” said Nixon, who is 10-years-old. “It motivates us to eat more of it.”