In school foodservice, itās understood that lunch is the bulk of the program. But lunch is just one meal. For school foodservice programs seeking ways to grow, itās time to think outside the lunchbox.
Extending the foodservice program beyond lunchāwith opportunities that encourage healthy eating before, during, and after schoolācan fit within the boundaries of government regulations and smart snacks rules, paying off for your program and those you serve.
6 ideas to grow your school foodservice program
1) Start early with breakfast
Many schools already offer breakfast as a reimbursable program or as part of the Community Eligibility Program (CE). Even if these programs donāt apply to the students you serve, a breakfast program is a great way to start the day.
At Fort Wayne Community Schools, free CE breakfasts are served at the door as students walk in the elementary school buildings. Candice Hager, the districtās Director of Nutrition says breakfast service increased 48 percent in 2014-15.
āWe think itās very important to prepare students to be ready to learn in the classroom, and breakfast makes sure all kids have fuel to learn,ā Hager says.
Winnie Brewer, Director of Foodservice at Marion City Schools in central Ohio, recognizes a benefit to the overall nutrition program as well.
āWhen kids eat breakfast at school, we can feed them two of their three daily meals, which means we can give them a model of what to eat,ā Brewer says.
2) Dole out midmorning or midafternoon snacks
Participation in the USDA snack program is another way to blend healthy food and healthy minds. By offering a fruit or vegetable with some educational information about the food, students learn while they snack.
āFour of our six elementaries take part, and the kids have really enjoyed trying things like cacti and edamame,ā Brewer says. āThe program is conducted through a need-based grant, so you have to reapply each yearāweāve been doing it for three years, so that speaks to its success.ā
3) Serve after-school meals
Pinellas County Public Schools near Tampa, Florida, offer a dinner program at elementaries that have after-school programs. Under the supervision of U.S. Department of Health, a free hot meal is served.
āParents are encouraged to joināfor a fee,ā says Catherine Gerard, the districtās Food and Nutrition Supervisor. We serve traditional dinner foodsāmeatball stroganoff, stuffed shells, chicken pot pieāalong with a vegetable, a fruit serving, and milk.ā
Marion City Schools is about to embark on a similar program this fall. The Dinner in the Classroom pilot program will take place at two elementary schools. Students will get 15 minutes to eatāthe time between when the final school bell rings and the school bus fleet departs.
āThe hope is that some students will be encouraged to stay longer, not just to play sports, but perhaps get involved in an after-school science program or to seek help with homework,ā Brewer says. āThose who eat and go home on the bus are at least getting a healthy meal.ā
4) Try a food cart or kiosk
At Marion, mobile food carts are available a half-hour before and after school.
āWe follow the smart snacks rules, of course,ā Brewer says. āBut the big advantage is that you get a chance to speak one-on-one with students and find out what they like to eat. If it falls within the smart snacks rules, you can serve it and control your waste.ā
5) Consider vending machines
Pinellas County Schools use vending machines for reimbursable meals, Gerard says. That way, students who are in a hurry donāt have to stand in a long line to wait for lunch service in the cafeteria.
One drawback: Perishable food wonāt keep forever, Marionās Brewer warns, so itās important to keep close watch for unpopular items.
6) Serve Ć la carte
At Pinellas, Gerard says food served outside the reimbursable lunch menu is a tricky propositionāyou have to appeal to student indulgences while still meeting the smart snack rules. The deluxe burger is out and smaller, healthier portions are in.
āFrench fries were a huge moneymaker, but weāre unable to use our fryers now, so weāre looking at bakeable options,ā she says. āInstead of serving 4 oz. of fries for $1, weāre selling a 2.1 oz. serving of baked shoestring fries for 50 cents.ā
Other Ć la carte offerings include cookies, goldfish crackers, white cheddar popcorn, graham cracker snacks, and baked chips.
Hungry for more?
Ask your Customer Development Specialist for a copy of the fall 2015 issue of Food Elements magazine to learn how Hillsborough County Public Schools developed dinner, snack, and summer feeding programs to feed its students outside of lunch.