Insights & Reports
Food systems are not just about what’s on our plates—they are at the heart of our greatest social and ecological challenges. They shape climate outcomes, public health, economics, and cultural resilience.
Our Resources & Insights hub is a work in progress, providing deep dives grounded in quantitative and qualitative methods. You’ll find evaluations of school-based programs, staffing and infrastructure analyses, equity assessments, systems mapping, and more.
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In 2026, FIG conducted a statewide survey to assess vacancy, turnover, and other elements of school food service staffing in New York. Read the findings in our executive summary and full report.
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In 2026, FIG conducted a statewide survey to assess vacancy, turnover, and other elements of school food service staffing in Virginia. Read the findings in our executive summary and full report.
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During the 2024-25 school year, 118 districts across the United States participated in The Chef Ann Foundation’s Healthy School Food Pathway (HSFP) and were invited to complete the survey, with a strong majority located in California. Survey findings from 66 districts that hosted Pre-Apprenticeship, Apprenticeship, and Fellowship programs in the 2024-2025 school year yielded promising results. Read the full report, conducted and authored by FIG, here and our key takeaways.
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As a part of a comprehensive multi-year analysis of the Healthy School Food Pathway (HSFP), FIG surveyed alumni of HSFP who completed their programs before summer 2025. The survey was fielded between October 16 - November 6, 2025, with an overall response rate of 38% (210 respondents). Alumni answered questions about program satisfaction, the impacts of HSFP on their careers, perceptions about scratch cooking in their district, and job satisfaction. Read the full report here.
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Co-authored by Rebecca Harnik, Gabriela Armendáriz, Eva Ringstrom, Yasmeen Lee, and Beth Katz, this study examines the progress of California’s workforce development program within school food services. The full report shares insights on training efficacy, skill development, and systems-level impact. The Executive Summary can be viewed here.
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Since the early 2000s, farm to school programs have been vital to California schools and farming communities. They promote healthy eating, support local economies, and foster a stronger connection with the food students eat and those who produce it. FIG co-authored for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, through funding from the State of California, this interim report of our findings on the Farm to School Grant Program. Learn more here.
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Co-led by FIG, this evaluation reviews the state’s forward-thinking investment in farm-to-school initiatives. The 2024 report highlights progress, challenges, and lessons for scaling equitable, sustainable food systems. Learn more here.
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In partnership with the Urban Institute, FIG explores economic challenges like wages, housing, and job competition in the school food workforce. Authored by Nathan Sick, Julia Payne, Beth Katz, and Debbie Friedman. Learn more here.
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This data-driven analysis reports vacancy and turnover rates in California's school nutrition services for the 2022–2023 school year. Authored by Eva Ringstrom and Debbie Friedman. Learn more here.
Priority Focus Areas
FIG's applied research supports multiple domains of food systems transformation:
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Food is Medicine
In partnership with Seeds of Change Consulting and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, FIG launched its work in this field by conducting qualitative surveys and listening sessions across North Carolina.
SNAP Nutrition Security & School Food Workforce
FIG launched its work in this field by collaborating with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) to explore SNAP’s role in community nutrition out of North Carolina, and studying job quality, wages, and workforce conditions in school food services across California.