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Keeping MS Students Excited with New Menu Options

Scratch-made tomato bisque, charcuterie trays and peanut butter yogurt dip are just a few of the new offerings on the menu for students of DeSoto County Schools in Mississippi. This year, Child Nutrition Director Alex Hallmark hired a registered dietitian and worked with the district’s nutrition team to update breakfast and lunch options so the students would not get bored with school meals. Student feedback has been so positive, that many of the dishes are being served regularly, with new ideas in the works for the future.

Plant-based Options Help Cater to VA Students’ Needs

When planning menus, the nutrition team at Alexandria City Public Schools in Virginia remains mindful that their student body comes from 119 different countries. To help serve many different dietary needs, district menus include daily plant-based meals with a variety of options for students.

“When students come through our lunch lines, we want them to taste something from their home. We incorporate herbs, spices and entrees with global inclusivity,” said Dr. Eric Coleman, MBA, M.Ed, CSC, Director, Office of School Nutrition Services for Alexandria City Public Schools.

Students in Maine Learn “A to Zs” of Nutrition

One can eat their way through the alphabet by simply enjoying a cup of alphabet soup but accomplishing this on a daily basis is a lot more fun, educational, healthier and pleasing to the taste buds.

Students in the Windham Raymond School District (RSU 14) in Maine are enjoying nutritious lunches made from locally grown fruits and vegetables representing each letter of the alphabet in conjunction with March’s National Nutrition Month. March kicked off with a scrumptious lunch featuring asparagus and apples and will conclude with a flavorful Zucchini recipe.

Iron Chef Breakfast Competition in NY School

Hosting Iron Chef-style competitions has become an anticipated special event for Mechanicville City School District students in New York. Deborah Mackey, Food Service Director in the district, helps to put on about four each year, typically giving student teams a specific ingredient to include for a lunch dish. Past competitions have featured locally grown beef and apples, but the focus has never previously been on breakfast.

Mackey introduced the idea recently and held a breakfast competition to lead up to National School Breakfast Week (NSBW), a great opportunity for students to try new menu items and focus on the importance of breakfast.

Breakfast is a Welcome Addition to School Routines

School breakfast offers quick and easy solutions for families to make sure students start their rushed mornings with a balanced meal. This year, an increasing number of students have access to free breakfast as more states are providing meals at no cost for all students. Schools in Pennsylvania and Connecticut are seeing great benefits from students and their teachers.

According to Kristina Roberge, Food Service Coordinator for Groton Public Schools (CT), parents say their children want to get to school with plenty of time to head to the cafeteria for breakfast.

Minnesota Thursday Program Kicks Off Black History Month

Food can be a window into different cultures and a learning tool to introduce students to meals not typically served within their homes. To that end, students in 16 schools across Roseville Area and St. Anthony Schools (MN) were treated to made-from-scratch menu items from St. Paul-based West Indies Soul Food chef Sharon Richards-Noel on Feb. 1^st in conjunction with Black History Month. The menu included sizzling jerk chicken drumsticks, seasoned curried rice, and delicious sides of Caribbean black beans and watermelon radishes.

Student Volunteers Show Appreciation to Food Servers

Seventh and eighth-graders in Donegal Junior High School (PA) found a hands-on way to recognize the friendly faces in their school cafeteria last month. Members of the Builders Club, a student-led organization providing opportunities to perform service, build character and develop leadership skills, asked their advisor if they could volunteer with the Donegal School District nutrition team and assist them with lunch and breakfast service.

The Builders Club, a middle school division of the Key Club, used the national theme of “Be Kind to Food Servers Month” to show their appreciation for the nutrition team for the second year in a row.

Colorado Students Enjoy Scratch Baked Foods

Students in Cherry Creek School District 5 (Colorado) enjoy sandwiches on fresh bread, granola in their parfaits and dinner rolls with their salad made fresh from scratch by members of the nutrition team. For more than five decades, the district southeast of Denver has been making in-house baked goods to serve students. The bakers make everything from whole wheat bread and streusel breakfast bread to cinnamon rolls, cornbread and crumble topping for fresh apple crisp. Through the years, recipes have been adjusted and new items have been added to the menu.

Composting in Montana Cafeterias

With several elementary schools in Bozeman School District 7 (Montana) successfully composting for a few years, the district’s nutrition department teamed up with a local business to bring composting to all 12 of its cafeterias and central kitchen facility this year.

Since the start of this school year, more than 27,000 pounds of food scraps have been collected and diverted from the landfill. The nutrition department now uses biodegradable paper products that can also be composted.

School Cafeterias Celebrate the Holidays

Holiday sights, sounds and smells are buzzing in school kitchens and cafeterias across the country! From school nutrition staff in Texas wearing matching shirts with holiday messages, to students making latkes to share with classmates in Massachusetts and gingerbread cookie making in Georgia, holiday celebrations entail long traditions as well as new ways to get festive.