Best Practices

Horta_Cuina was born to provide a comprehensive service to the producers of L'Horta (in Valencian region, Spain) and the neighboring counties who wish to access the collective catering channel in a grouped, cooperative way and with fair prices, encouraging a gradual process of organization and of specialization when eating collectively in school canteens.

Horta_Cuina is a program aimed at facilitating and consolidating a healthy, sustainable and quality diet based on the commitment decided by the agricultural production of the Horta de Valencia and the neighboring counties, recognizing the school canteen as a key engine for the education in values, the guarantee of the Right to Food, the valorization of the territory and respect for the environment. Making possible a diet based on local agriculture, incorporating organic, fresh, local and seasonal products in school menus and collective restoration. This program works from a comprehensive approach involving in a participatory way all the agents who make possible a healthy, sustainable and beneficial school canteen for the territory.

• Agrarian revitalization
• Efficient and local logistics
• Sustainable, healthy and seasonal menus.
• Education in values and healthy eating habits
• Participation, trust and collaborative work:
• Recognition of the territory and links between production and consumption

So far, major achievements of Horta Cuina over the last year are:

• Management of 28 school canteens in educational centers located in Valencia and the districts of Horta.
• 25 producers from the Horta de Valencia and neighboring counties participating as providers
• 6500 diners, students, teaching staff, monitors and kitchen staff benefit from the Horta_Cuina program.
• 27.000 kg of local products delivered to canteens
• Positive impact on Children health and food habits

Horta_Cuina is a program driven by a public-social participatory process that engages a great diversity of actors in the agri-food value chain in the Valencian Community around a common goal. Also, the main challenges are abour coordination. Horta_cuina coordinates the supply of product to the centers in a timely manner, guaranteeing the highest quality and fair prices set by the producers themselves. All this fostered cooperative associations and collaboration between the producers. It also has to technically support collective catering management companies in the transition towards an offer of menus based on the season and local foods. Finally, Horta_Cuina facilitates the progressive adoption of menus based on the season, fresh, organic and local products in the communities of the centres. From active listening, mutual learning and mediation.

Consell de l’Horta, Horta Cuina. https://consellhorta.gva.es/es/horta-cuina/

El Salto Diario, (2022) Menos croquetas y más berenjenas en los comedores escolares de Valencia. https://www.elsaltodiario.com/alimentacion/menos-croquetas-mas-berenjenas-comedores-escolares-valencia-horta-cuina-decreto