La Feria ISD Students Attend Food Expo Hosted by Region One

Updated: October 17, 2024

By Mike Villarreal

Recently, La Feria Early College High School Culinary Arts and W.B. Green Jr. High students attended the Food Expo hosted by the Region One ESC Child Nutrition Program South Texas Cooperative (CNP-STC) at the South Padre Island Convention Center.

The students from La Feria Early College High School Culinary Arts and W.B. Green Jr. High were not just attendees but active participants in the Food Expo. They enthusiastically engaged in the fun activities and had the unique opportunity to taste-test a diverse range of delicious food from over 100 vendors.

This event took place on Wednesday and Thursday, October 2-3, 2024, at the South Padre Island Convention Center. The Food Expo was a delightful experience, featuring workshops and over 100 booths offering a wide variety of food items and fresh produce for everyone to sample. This experience helps ensure that our school menus are filled with options that students will enjoy eating.

The Food Expo included a food items blitz conference theater, where 24 manufacturers revealed their newest and most innovative food products for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. There was also an end-zone extravaganza social event and a variety of products aimed at school food and nutrition programs to see and taste.

All school districts were encouraged to provide feedback, as this information is collected to determine products available for purchase by the members of the CNP-South Texas Cooperative.
The Region One ESC Food and Nutrition Program offers schools guidance to ensure compliance with state, local, and federal program requirements.

The Region One ESC Food and Nutrition Program partners with the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to offer technical assistance and resources to contractors participating in the Nutritional School Lunch Program, SFSP, the School Breakfast Program, and the Child and Adult Food Care Programs.

They offer training and guidance for meal eligibility requirements, program management workshops, nutrient analysis, a resource library, a TASN certificate course, and culinary skills to make meals tasty, appealing, and compliant with guidelines. They also provide other programs designed to educate and help further the knowledge needed to be successful in this career path.

This program offers its services at no cost, with the exception of courses that provide certification, for which a fee is applicable. It’s important to note that the Texas Department of Agriculture provides funding for all programs.
Photos from the La Feria ISD Facebook Page