Boston Public Schools’ Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has earned Silver status from the Center for Good Food Purchasing, recognizing its progress in providing nutritious and locally sourced meals to students. The achievement highlights the city’s ongoing work to improve access to healthy food and promote sustainability.
According to the City of Boston’s announcement, a 2023 evaluation showed significant improvement in the district’s food purchasing practices since the 2019–2020 school year. Mayor Michelle Wu, who introduced the Good Food Purchasing Ordinance during her time on the City Council, stated that the initiative ensures public funds support both nutrition and the local economy.
Superintendent Mary Skipper noted that the Silver status reflects the progress in offering meals that are both healthy and culturally diverse. City Councilor Henry Santana also commended the accomplishment, citing it as an example of equitable food access in the city.
The district serves more than 8 million meals annually, with 96% prepared in-house across 107 schools. Eric Stevens, Interim Executive Director of Food and Nutrition Services, said the district is focusing on scratch cooking and sourcing ingredients from local suppliers to improve meal quality and support the community. Plans are underway to reopen the BPS Central Kitchen to enhance food preparation and expand service capacity.
