Fresh ideas for school lunches "We're most passionate about getting the organic produce on our farm in the cafeteria," said Chris Guerre, a farmer in Great Falls who visits at least two schools in Arlington every month to tell kids what he's growing and to offer samples. Organic food is food that is grown with no or very few man-made chemicals. "What is most important is actually getting better food in the cafeteria and helping kids eat it and enjoy it and hopefully change their attitudes about food," said Guerre, who has been selling his fruits and vegetables to schools for five years. Recently, Guerre stopped by Jamestown Elementary School to talk to the kids at lunchtime and pass out samples of pumpkin seeds and pumpkin soup. "It's super good," said second-grader Hannah Marrone, 7. I eat fruits and vegetables every day, because they're healthy for you. Her favorite fruit is mango, and her favorite vegetable is corn. "I'm getting more!" she said, and she went for seconds. Her friend Ingrid Soracco, 7, agreed, even though she had never had pumpkin soup before. "It's awesome!" she said. "We're trying to encourage and excite the kids," Guerre said. We want it to be cool and fun to eat fruits and vegetables. Food and obesity About one out of three kids is overweight or obese, according to the American Heart Association. That rate is about three times what it was 50 years ago. That's why paying attention to healthful eating is more important than ever. "Healthy food makes a huge difference in terms of the health of the child and their academic performance," said JoAnne Hammermaster, who started Real Food for Kids, a group that is trying to get more healthful foods in Fairfax County school cafeterias. They have to start at a young age . . . and appreciate where the food comes from. They need to learn this at an early age to get good habits. In 2007, Virginia established a program to encourage schools to buy local produce. Two years later, Virginia started an annual farm-to-school week, which includes such events as sampling local produce and dress-like-a-farmer day. "Eighty percent of schools have participated in one way or another," said Leanne DuBois, who runs Virginia's program. Kids are interested in where their food comes from. . . . It's very much a grass-roots program. That means the ideas are coming from small groups and individual schools. Maryland established its farm-to-school program in 2008. All the public schools in Maryland participate, even if only by getting local apples in the fall. Marla Caplon, who has worked in the Montgomery County school system's Food and Nutrition Services Division for 25 years, said people today are much more aware about healthful eating habits. To make Chris and Sara Guerre's Easy Pumpkin Soup, click here: projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2013/11/17/easy-pumpkin-soup/