- Friendly cafeteria staff
- Menu items students enjoy
- The process in which we accommodate a student’s dietary needs
PRIORITY TOPICS FOR FAMILIES
- Balancing a menu that meets federal nutrition regulations, highlights student favorites, and meets federal guidelines in terms of budget
- Including five Registered Dietitians to review product ingredient statements and make the best choice for our students
- Ensuring all add-on snacks meet the federal nutrient guidelines called smart snacks
- Using Family Survey and Exchange results to inform actionable improvement
- Student taste testing and focus groups to gain student insights on products
- Advocating for longer lunch periods as those are set and controlled at the school site level
- Supporting students and families with special dietary needs
Based on the Family Feedback Survey, increasing the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables while reducing sugary items emerged as the highest priority topic. While we currently offer fresh fruit and vegetables daily, we plan to further examine this feedback alongside best practices in the farm-to-school arena. Federal nutrition regulations in terms of sugar specifically go into effect for school year 2027-2028. The work to comply has already begun with the elimination of chocolate milk at breakfast and the addition of more savory breakfast choices.
The department will continue to work with food manufacturers and student focus groups to design a menu that meets both the federal regulations and student acceptance.
The Food & Nutrition Services department will continue to communicate our menu with allergens identified so students and families can navigate dietary needs on our website and free downloadable app. In addition, we will post our allergen and special dietary needs process and required forms on our department webpage.
The Food & Nutrition Department values family and student feedback as an essential part of elevating our menu options. We remain committed to student focus groups and taste testing to ensure we meet the needs of our customers. It is our mission to fuel their bodies so they can academically perform in the classroom.
