Provo School District has already earned a national award for its use of fresh produce in its school menus, but the Child Nutrition department knows that encouraging kids to try these healthy foods is just as important as serving them.
Last year, to get students excited about healthy meals, Provo’s Child Nutrition staff launched “Wild, Wild West Days.” All 19 of the district’s cafeterias celebrated the new theme throughout the year with fun decorations, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” country line dances and a special menu of barbeque chicken, cooked from scratch, baked beans, corn on the cob and spring mix salad. Students are already looking forward to the new “sports” theme coming this fall.
Provo Schools also introduce new fruits and vegetables through their Harvest of the Month program, featuring as many locally grown foods as possible. Parents can keep up to date on what’s happening in their students’ lunchrooms by visiting the district’s school nutrition and fitness website, which features a weekly photo slide show and nutrition games and facts.
Provo School District’s Child Nutrition Program has also won Utah’s “Best of State” Award in 2010 and 2011.
Looks like fresh 8 cut chicken, how did you prepare? What equipment did you use? I work with schools with RATIONAL ovens and have had good success with the standard programs. Any info would be helpful. What type of sauce, prepared or fresh made? What temp did you cook the chicken to? Did you have trouble with joint bleed on the thigh/drum joint?
Peggy, We are happy to give you this info. The chicken is indeed the raw 8 cut. We use our own BBQ sauce recipe which I will include after the chicken cooking instructions. Here are the cooking instructions for the chicken:
1. Thaw in refrigerator overnight on sheet pans.
2. Skin the chicken and wash it.
3. Place the chicken in cake pans and add BBQ sauce.
4. Cover pans with foil and bake in convection oven at 350°F for about an hour or until internal temperature is 165°F.
5. About 20 minutes before chicken is done, brush on more BBQ sauce so it stays on chicken for serving.
5. Put in hot holding oven until ready to serve.
BBQ SAUCE makes one gallon sauce
Catsup, 1#10
Brown Sugar, 2 1/3 C packed
Distilled Vinegar, 1 1/4 Cup
Liquid Smoke, 3 oz.
We would love for any Child Nutrition Program Professionals to check out our facebook page and “Like” us. You can find us by searching for ITSMealsProvo when in Facebook. We would love to have feedback from more professionals involved with SNA!
Good job, Colleen. Looks great!
I work at a charter school in Davis County and while we are a Gold Standard school I am wondering how we could go about incorporating what you guys have done down in Provo, thanks
Tracy, you’re welcome to come to Provo anytime. I’m the Child Nutrition Director for Provo City School District and we would be happy to show you our Child Nutrition Program and menus. We’ve added nine new main dish menus to our calendar this year, Rosemary Chicken, Baked Chicken Tortilla, and Fiesta Salad to name a few. Our Theme this year is ‘Movin’ It’ and we are continuing our Healthy Lifestyle activities to go along with our nutritious meals. Our motto (our Child Nutrition Office Staff brain-stormed and came up with it) is: “Nourishing Your Child’s Future!” which goes along with our Heathy Lifestyle ‘Movin’ It’ theme.
Great Job !! I love everything your doing and will be coming to visit to see your new dishes soon.
Hello! What an inspiring lunch menu! I am a parent of two kids in elementary school in Ogden. I’m looking to change the current processed food being served to something just like what you’re doing in Provo. Would I be able to come down and meet with you sometime in the next two weeks?
Anna, May I suggest that you contact your school nutrition director, Suzette Braithwaite. You can also get involved in your district wellness committee and/or see some of the KIWI Take Your Parents to Lunch Day resources that detail the challenges schools face as they work to improve their menus. I hope these suggestions will help. Our next two weeks are extremely busy as we are out in the schools for our “Movin’ It” days, and getting ready for National School Lunch Week.
Anna, If you still would like to come to Provo after National School Lunch Week please feel free to contact Provo’s Child Nutrition Director, Jenilee McComb.
We are a charter school in Ogden, so I’m not sure who we’re under. I will start there though. Thank you for the advice!