Some local students recently learned that not all fries are bad; in fact, baked sweet potato fries may actually have health benefits, when consumed in moderation, according to a new education initiative by Fulton County Schools.

The system’s Farm to School and Georgia Grown programs kicked off during February at fifteen area schools, including Hembree Springs Elementary, Crabapple Crossing Elementary, Centennial and Roswell high schools.

Farm to School is part of a national initiative that seeks to provide students with local fresh fruits and vegetables, while Georgia Grown fulfills the “local” aspect through an association of in-state farmers.

“Both of these programs align with our school’s initiatives to teach children to make healthy choices. Students should be entitled to healthy, nutritious options at every meal,” said Crabapple Crossing Principal George Freiberger. “By using local fruits and vegetables, we aren’t only helping our local farmers, we are teaching children that the foods they choose have the power to benefit both the environment and their community.”

Each week, students are provided with a fresh fruit or vegetable from a Georgia or regional farm.

“The goal is to offer locally grown fruits and vegetables and to help farmers sell produce closer to home,” said the school system’s nutrition regulatory coordinator, Alyssia Waters, in a written statement.

According to Freiberger, his staff is helping to identify ways to tie the programs’ messages into the school’s curriculum.

We want to “get the kids excited about it,” he said. “We’ve had some fun promotions to encourage the children to make new food choices, in hopes of forming lifelong healthful habits.”

For instance, when the sweet potato fries were first offered, the school system presented students who selected them with an orange bracelet that said, “Orange is Sweet.” They were also entered into a drawing for prizes such as an iTunes gift card, movie tickets and books.

“The students loved receiving, ‘Orange is Sweet’ bracelets for trying sweet potato fries,” Freiberger said about how the students are reacting to the new initiative. “Much of our faculty and staff tried them for the first time, including me. Once you get passed the fact that your fries are orange, you realize how good they are.”

Additional “better-for-you” menu items will continue to become available to students throughout the entire system, according to Fulton County. In keeping with their mission to provide better nutrition, the system has also committed to cutting out fried foods in elementary schools and cutting back on fried food availability in middle and high schools.

“It’s so rewarding to see the children trying new foods and learning the importance of eating locally-grown fruits and vegetables every day,” said Freiberger.

Check out school menus for the upcoming week and its nutritional information online.