Fungi and Fresh Ideas: Brockton High School’s Mushroom Farming Program Grows More Than Just Food

Nutrition

With a greenhouse full of gourmet mushrooms, one resident dietitian is transforming school nutrition into an immersive, educational experience

Something special is growing inside the greenhouse at Brockton High School in Massachusetts: oyster mushrooms in shades of pink, blue, gold, and more. Thanks to the Massachusetts Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health (MA FRESH) grant, Brockton Public Schools is using this unique farm-to-school initiative to bring nutrition, education, and innovation together in a powerful way.

Lisa Huang, the district’s resident dietitian, manages the grant-funded mushroom farm with support from other Chartwells K12 team members. While students aren’t directly involved in daily operations, they benefit from the program through engaging experiences designed to inspire curiosity about food, sustainability, and health.

Leveraging the grant to support several student-focused activities, students in the garden club learn all about mushroom cultivation and sample dishes made with the same mushrooms grown just a few feet away in the greenhouse. They also receive mushroom grow kits, giving them the chance to try their hand at growing mushrooms at home and witness the process from start to finish.

Mushrooms also take center stage in the classroom and across the school’s four cafés. The Chartwells K12 team regularly offers students mushroom samples during lunch, rotating between cafés to reach as many students as possible. Some featured samples have included Lion’s Mane Citrus Smash, a refreshing punch-style drink; Italian oyster mushroom spread served with bread or crackers; and roasted oyster mushrooms, showcasing the depth of flavor these fungi can offer. Students can expect to try a hearty King Oyster Mushroom Salad before the end of the school year.

Mushrooms even make their way onto the menu at the student-run Fine Arts Café that operates once a week and serves staff as part of a culinary class. Students incorporate greenhouse-grown mushrooms into monthly specials, including a roasted pink oyster mushroom and vegetable wrap, and snow oyster mushroom soup.

Extending learning beyond the lunch line, the team organizes breakfast-and-learn sessions for Chartwells associates. During a recent session with school café managers, participants explored oyster mushrooms in-depth, discussing their sourcing, nutritional benefits, and cultural significance in global breakfast dishes. A special highlight was a mushroom charcuterie board with oyster mushroom chips and spicy mayo, brie with mushrooms, and roasted mushrooms.

Lisa and her team also manage a mushroom pantry, where mushrooms are packaged into take-home bags for students, accompanied by educational materials and recipe cards to encourage culinary creativity at home.

While education and nutrition are the initiative’s primary goals, the program is also rooted in sustainability. Once harvested, any unused mushrooms are composted, completing the cycle and reinforcing the importance of environmental stewardship.

By combining hands-on learning, culinary exploration, and community building, Lisa and the rest of the Chartwells K12 team at Brockton Public Schools are proving that mushrooms are more than just a food – they’re a gateway to meaningful education and innovative school nutrition.