Public school cafeteria directors across the country are getting creative in following federal guidelines for feeding students to avoid an estimated $16 billion in wasted food each year.
That’s according to published reports, as 30.6 million students pass through cafeterias daily in more than 100,000 U.S. schools.
Food directors are scrambling with fulfilling those requirements, which come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The nutritional standards look at total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, calories and total sugar.
Favorite and least favorite cafeteria foods differs by school corporation.
In the Fremont Community Schools, it’s chicken, chicken and more chicken that’s preferred by youths. In fact, Nancy Swager, the corporation’s food director, said their students prefer chicken to just about any other food choice.
“Chicken nuggets, chicken and noodles and baked chicken. They’re chicken” fans, Swager said. “They prefer chicken to pizza. We’ve added more chicken because they love it.”
Fremont students pass on fish, chicken tacos and burritos.
One food that’s new and catching on in Fremont are whole-grain chocolate chip cookies.
“The elementary can have them once a week,” she said. “They bring their money and are happy.”
West Noble School Corporation Food Service Manager Jennie Allen said her students opt for chicken, pizza and crispitos, which are wraps with chicken and beans. Students there don’t care for lentils, dark greens like broccoli or kale, and soups.
“We’ve added a little more fresh vegetables, and we’ve been doing whole-wheat pasta,” Allen said. “We’ve backed off on starchy fries and no desserts. Sodium drives us nuts.”
Allen said it’s hard to figure out dietary menus with extensive, complicated requirements.
“The biggest change is counting every calorie and sodium. It’s a pain. I try to cycle six weeks of menus,” Allen said.
Lakeland School Corporation Food Services Director Tammy Fennell said pizza, chicken nuggets and tacos or chicken fajitas are her students’ favorites. They aren’t crazy about spinach or sloppy joes.
Fennell said she and her department have naturally had to add different healthier food to the menu, such as garbanzo beans, sweet potatoes and a 50/50 blend of lettuce and spinach.
“I guess everything is whole grain, and the kids aren’t putting up a fight,” she said.
One option that’s gone over well is a build-your-own wrap bar. It was formerly called the hot bar.
In meeting the dietary mandates, Fennel said it’s nice to share ideas that work with other food directors.
In feeding 4,000 student meals daily, plus providing after-school snacks, Ashlee Shroyer, DeKalb County Central United School District food director, said the focus is on home cooking when possible.
“They love anything chicken and pizza. We do a lot of homemade recipes that include mandates,” Shroyer said.
“They don’t like vegetables, but we do our best to provide color … Their favorite is mashed potatoes. They like french fries and it’s all baked, but they get their vegetables.”
Shroyer said her students benefit from dietary changes.
“We’ve added additional fruit at breakfast. I really think the additional fruit is helpful,” she said. “We offer at least 50 percent more whole grain.”