{"id":3951,"date":"2014-09-17T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-09-17T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-gordon-food-service.pantheonsite.io\/upscale-your-school-lunch-program\/"},"modified":"2023-02-01T14:20:00","modified_gmt":"2023-02-01T20:20:00","slug":"upscale-your-school-lunch-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gfs.com\/en-us\/ideas\/upscale-your-school-lunch-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Upscale Your School Lunch Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

With families busier than ever, students are accustomed to the atmosphere and offerings of convenient, popular fast-casual restaurants time-stressed parents resort to when there just aren’t enough hours in a day.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s changing your students\u2019 expectations in the lunch line.<\/p>\n

Model Your School Lunch Program After Restaurants<\/h2>\n

Fresh, made-to-order dishes served quickly in a comfortable, relaxing environment are a win-win for time-stressed families, and have become the norm for today\u2019s students. Meeting these new expectations is important to maintain school lunch participation, but how does a food service director recreate a fast-casual atmosphere in a school lunch room without breaking the bank?<\/p>\n

John Henry, Food Service Director at Rockford Public Schools in Rockford, Michigan increases participation and meets students\u2019 expectations by \u2018upscaling\u2019 their school menu with an array of Child Nutrition-friendly items that are fast favorites. From an Asian bar, a built-to-order sub and panini cart, to the custom-branded Southwest Grill – serving custom tacos, burritos, and burrito bowls – and McRam\u2019s – the school\u2019s mascot-themed take on healthy fast food – Henry\u2019s program offers upscale menus in addition to a traditional school food line. Interested in \u2018upscaling\u2019 your school menu and lunch room? Here are some steps to consider.<\/p>\n

Do Your Homework<\/h3>\n

Ask students where they like to eat when they go out with family. Or better yet, if your school has an open campus lunch policy, Henry suggests asking students where they go for lunch. \u201cIf they\u2019re leaving for Chinese food, ask students if they\u2019d be more likely to eat at school if you offered it.\u201d, he recommends. Investigate these restaurants and their menus, looking for items that can be duplicated in your kitchen and simple decorative elements that make the lunch room feel like a restaurant.<\/p>\n

Pricing is also important. \u201cMake your pricing comparable to local restaurants,\u201d Henry suggests. Giving students what they want at a price they\u2019re already used to paying is an added benefit to students.<\/p>\n

Customization is Key<\/h3>\n

Kids – especially at the high-school level – like choices. Let them have it with \u2018build-your-own\u2019 options. Think salad bars, burrito bowl bars, baked potato bars, panini stations, and beyond. This is also a great way to meet meal pattern requirements<\/a> – Henry says, \u201cOur made-to-order sandwich bar is a great way for students to meet vegetable requirements. Similarly, our Southwest Grill helps us meet minimums for beans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atmosphere Matters<\/h3>\n

Your school lunch room doesn\u2019t need to exactly replicate the popular fast-casual place around the corner, but take a few pointers from their decor choices – branded signage and welcoming booths are some good places to start. Also, think about how the food is presented. At Rockford High School, Henry showcases food in modern-looking black containers, incorporates simple signage to direct students to lines, and arranges tables and chairs in a restaurant-style setup instead of traditional lunch tables.<\/p>\n

Take the Test<\/h3>\n

Sample new items and ideas with parents and students for their feedback. \u201cNearly every menu item we offer at our high school is a result of student feedback,\u201d Henry points out. Including students in the decision process also helps promote new items. If it\u2019s a hit, word will spread.<\/p>\n

Limit Yourself<\/h3>\n

\u201cNovelty is okay. You don\u2019t need to feed all of your students when adding a brand-new concept. If you have the ability feed 20 percent of your students, you\u2019re creating excitement by only offering limited quantities,\u201d Henry says.<\/p>\n

Spread the Word<\/h3>\n

Marketing your program to students and parents is key to participation. Posters, flyers, and electronic signage are all great ways to get the word out. If school policy allows, encourage students to share photos of lunch on social media. Create a photo contest with a custom hashtag and choose a weekly winner.<\/p>\n

Upscale School Lunches Doesn’t Always Mean Expensive<\/h2>\n

When it comes to lunch, a little creativity goes a long way, but it can get expensive if not monitored. Henry\u2019s advice? Plan your menu around products that can be cross-utilized. \u201cPrepared chicken strips – like the ones we use for our stir fry bar – can be seasoned differently to work at our Southwest Grill\u201d.<\/p>\n

The concept transcends schools, as well. While offerings tend to be more basic at Rockford\u2019s elementary and middle schools, some dishes from the high school are incorporated in lower grades. \u201cI was surprised by the success of our Orange Chicken – especially at the elementary level, where students are more sensitive to spices,\u201d Henry recalls.<\/p>\n

Staff training and controlling labor costs are also key to cost control. \u201cWhile fresh produce is an attractive option, be sure to keep preparations relatively simple to save time,\u201d he advises. Lastly, train your staff on proper portions for cost control. \u201cMake sure they know expectations so you aren’t giving food away.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Last Word<\/h2>\n

With limitless possibilities, it\u2019s important to avoid the mind set of \u2018we\u2019ve always done it this way\u2019. \u201cDon\u2019t let things get stagnant. Keeping things new and exciting keeps participation up,\u201d Henry recommends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Creativity and customization and an appetizing atmosphere can raise the bar on student dining.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":3952,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[112,69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3951","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-k12-education","category-running-your-business"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUpscale Your School Lunch Program<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gfs.com\/en-us\/ideas\/upscale-your-school-lunch-program\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Upscale Your School Lunch Program\" \/>\n<meta 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