UTILIZING CREATIVE RESOURCEFULNESS IN
S chool nutrition often challenging environment. While managing tight budgets, strict nutritional guidelines, and limited equipment and labor, school nutrition leaders still need to produce high-quality meals at a high-volume level. When there isn’t an option for “more”, it is important programs operate within a unique and that school nutrition programs prioritize creativity with what they already have. A resourceful approach to menu planning transforms limitations from obstacles into opportunities while ensuring operational efficiency and innovation. At the most basic level, creativity with existing inventory is a powerful tool for cost control and waste reduction. By developing innovative ways to use leftover ingredients or products that are no longer in a current menu rotation, school nutrition departments can dramatically minimize food waste. For example, instead of discarding vegetable trimmings, a kitchen might transform those trimmings into a flavorful stock or incorporate them into another entree such as a pasta salad or wrap! Another way of utilizing a product that is out of rotation is to create a special menu item that incorporates that item in a new way! For example, my team had leftover meatballs from a traditional pasta and meatballs entree we no longer served, so my central kitchen manager created a manager’s special that put the meatballs on rice with a teriyaki sauce, and the students loved it!
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