Montana Marinara is the pilot product in a collaborative project between Mission West, Northwest Food Hub Network, and Montana Office of Public Instruction. By combining USDA canned tomatoes with Montana-grown veggies, we can create a versatile and delicious tomato sauce for K-12 schools that supports local farmers and connects students with local food!
Montana Marinara is locally sourced, processed and distributed.
Montana Marinara includes Montana-grown butternut squash, carrots, onions, and safflower oil sourced from Western Montana Growers Cooperative, a member of the Northwest Food Hub Network. Our locally sourced recipe safeguards our kids’ nutrition and health with the freshest possible ingredients, minimal processing and no preservatives.
A half cup serving of Montana Marinara equals a half cup of red and orange vegetables!
Each pound of Montana Marinara provides $0.33 to the Montana farmers that grow the ingredients.
Montana Marinara is designed to fit school budgets without loosing the nourishment and home cooked goodness our children need to thrive. Montana sourcing makes products like Montana Marinara more accessible to the institutions that need it most amidst supply chain shortages and inflation. Local food procurement keeps our Montanan communities more robust and resilient. Not to mention, it just tastes better.
Montana Marinara is easily incorporated into school menus! Try it for pastas, breadsticks, meatball subs, and more!
Photo by Aubree Roth
In a survey conducted with high school taste testers, 89% of students said they would eat Montana Marinara again!
This spring, it’s Marinara Madness here in Montana!
We’re encouraging teachers and staff from the 150+ districts who ordered to plan activities connecting the cafeteria, classroom, and community. Think of it as a special springtime edition of Farm to School Month focused on how our farms, food hubs, and school nutrition staff are collaborating to expand access to local food for Montana students. This toolkit features ideas for local food festivities, recipes, and promotional resources—everything you need to celebrate the work we’re doing together to cultivate farm-to-school connections.
Orders for the 2022-2023 school year are now closed.
To stay up-to-date on the latest news for the next school year, please fill out the contact form below: