1 in 5 children

Maine has the highest rates of childhood food insecurity in New England where 1 in 5 children experience hunger, often relying on school lunch as their only hot meal of the day.

Full Bellies Make Better Students

Students who participate in school meals, particularly those who are experiencing food insecurity, have better health outcomes, have improved test scores, better behavior and are more likely to graduate.

Kid Tested, USDA Approved

District taste testing for halal and USDA compliant meals began in early 2025 in anticipation for the '25-'26 school year pilot program.

1 in 5 children

Maine has the highest rates of childhood food insecurity in New England where 1 in 5 children experience hunger, often relying on school lunch as their only hot meal of the day.

1/3

A meal program that enables all Maine students equitable access to nutritious meals; providing access to religious and authentic, culturally significant food.

The Halal meal hub

hot meals for all

Through funding from Full Plates Full Potential and USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, Five Pillars Butchery is partnering with local school districts, producer LaFinca Cooperative and food manufacturer Haali Halal Cuisine to create a meal program that ensures all students have nutritious hot school meals that meet their needs.

halal compliant school meals

Due to stringent requirements, many schools face barriers in preparing halal meals that kids will eat and families can trust. The sensitivity of these requirements can be comparable to handling and preparing Gluten Free foods. Often, school kitchens’ environments are not compatible because of the unique conditions needed to maintain halal integrity and because the majority of students in Maine do not require halal meals, meeting these conditions can be strenuous, time consuming and costly for schools to serve a smaller demographic of students. Since these students still need to eat wholesome meals like their peers, the Halal Meal Hub directly addresses this population of students, allowing them to fully participate in the hot school meal program.

Supporting Maine agriculture through Farm to School programs provides students with fresh, locally sourced food, strengthens healthy eating habits, and offers hands-on learning experiences. Farm to School programs also strengthen the local economy, connect students to their food systems, and can improve students' knowledge of agriculture and nutrition.

Supporting Maine Agriculture

...Feeding Maine's Kids

Year 1
Research and Development Success

This first year has been busy , working closely with partners in recipe development, taste testing events, serving over 1700 students, and determining pricing as we prepare for the second year's Pilot Program, launching in Auburn and Waterville school districts.