DCPS Tray Talk

Student Survey Results from the 2024-2025 School Year

DCPS Tray Talk

STUDENT SURVEY RESULTS FROM THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR

Welcome!

To the very first edition of DCPS Food and Nutrition’s Digizine! We’re thrilled to partner with NxtGen to bring you this in-depth look at our program and the incredible work happening across our schools. At Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), we believe that Feeding Students is a Sacred Trust. It’s more than a meal—it’s a com- mitment to nourishing both body and mind, and a responsibili- ty we’re honored to uphold on behalf of our community. So how do we live out that mission? 1. We create joyful, delicious, and nutritious meal experiences for every student. 2. We serve with inclusivity and equity at the heart of every plate. 3. We treat our stakeholders like teammates—be cause they are. 4. We use nutrition to connect the home, class room, and community. This inaugural issue takes a deep dive into our Student Meal Feedback Survey results, first shared publicly at our School Food Collaborative Meeting in June. Last fall, over 1,300 stu- dents in grades 3–12 participated in the survey, offering valu- able insights and suggestions over a three-week period. The survey was developed in collaboration with K–12 eval ua- tion experts, FNS staff, and was grounded in historical school nutrition research. It serves as our primary method for gather- ing student input across all food providers. In addition to the survey, providers engage students year-round through taste tests, focus groups, cooking classes, competitions, and infor- mal cafeteria conversations during monthly school audits. I invite you to explore this issue, share it with your networks, and join FNS in elevating student voice in school nutrition. Together, we can continue building a program that reflects the needs, tastes, and values of our students. Sincerely, Robyn Douglas Scholar, MPP, RDN, SNS, LD, FAND Manager of Nutrition, Compliance, and Partnerships

Robyn Douglas Scholar Manager of Nutrition, Compliance, and Partnerships at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)

DC Public Schools Food & Nutrition Services (202) 299-2159 food.dcps@k12.dc.gov

EVENT RECAP School Food Collaborative What’s Inside 04

OVERALL DCPS SURVEY RESULTS Participation

08 10 11 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

OVERALL DCPS SURVEY RESULTS Breakfast & Lunch Favorites

OVERALL DCPS SURVEY RESULTS What They Want to See More

OVERALL DCPS SURVEY RESULTS Environment

HIGHLIGHTS FROM DCPS SELF-OP From Taste Tests to Teamwork

DCPS EATS SURVEY RESULTS Favorites and What They Want to See More

HIGHLIGHTS FROM DC CENTRAL KITCHEN A Taste of Whats Next

DCCK SURVEY RESULTS Favorites and What They Want to See More

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SODEXOMAGIC Student Driven Flavor Focused

SODEXOMAGIC SURVEY RESULTS Favorites and What They Want to See More

HIGHLIGHTS FROM ARAMARK Flavorful Futures

ARAMARK SURVEY RESULTS Favorites and What They Want to See More

SCHOOL FOOD COLLABORATIVE DCPS HOSTS INSPIRING SCHOOL FOOD COLLABORATIVE EVENT

DC Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services recently brought together parents, students, school food leaders, and community partners for an engaging and inspiring School Food Collaborative event. Hosted in a gallery-style format, the event invited families to explore the innovation behind DCPS menus, sample student-inspired dishes like Mediterranean salads, turkey al pastor tacos, and orange- glazed chicken, and learn about the district’s ongoing commitment to culturally relevant, nutritious meals.

Deputy Chief Rob Jaber welcomed guests before they explored interactive stations featuring partners like FoodPrints, Green Scheme, and the DC Food Policy Council. The event also highlighted student survey feedback and offered small-group discussions led by FSMC partners to explore how school meals can better support the whole child. Designed to celebrate and inform, the Collaborative gave parents and students an opportunity to experience firsthand what goes into

feeding more than 50,000 students each day. It was a vibrant reminder of how community input, student voice, and collaborative partnerships can shape stronger, more inclusive school food programs.

Participation

“In the past month, how often did you eat lunch provided by the school cafe?”

Always (Everyday) 211

Occasionally (3 days a week) 120

Never (0 days a week) 118

Very Frequently (4 days a week) 108

92 85

Rarely (2 days a week)

Very Rarely (1 day a week)

“Within the past month, why did you NEVER or RARELY eat lunch provided by the school cafe?”

228

I do not like the food served for lunch.

There is not enough time to eat lunch.

There are not enough options.

124

I bring my lunch from home.

Portions are too small.

Portions are too large.

I have a food allergy.

115

The lunch line is too long.

I bought lunch from a store or restaurant.

Breakfast FAVORITES

87% 87% 86%

Pancakes & Waffles

Pastries

Cold Cereals

85% 84%

Yogurt

Yogurt Parfaits

83% 83%

Breads

Smoothies

80%

Breakfast Bars

77% 75%

Meat

Breakfast Sandwiches

66%

Eggs

Lunch FAVORITES

89%

Pizza

83%

American Homestyle

81%

Hot Sandwiches

78% 77%

International Options

Entree Salads

71%

Pasta Dishes

70% 69%

Rice Dishes

Cold Sandwiches

61%

Vegetarian Entrees

What do they want to see more of? “What do they want to see more of?”

Total: 1,333 Students Surveyed

“In the past month, how did you feel about the physical environment of the cafe?” Environment

Line Speed

Lighting

Noise Levels

Decorations

Setting Space

Cleanliness

Menu Display

Serving Line Signage

Extremely Poor Below Average Average Above Average Excellent

DCPS EATS

From Taste Tests to Teamwork HIGHLIGHTS FROM DCPS SELF-OP

By Kelsey Metcalfe Self Operations Manager, DCPS Food & Nutrition Services

Every summer the Self- Operation team takes a moment to reflect on the previous school year and what we are collectively proud of, excited by, and where we need to grow. It’s a time that our team looks forward to – having a moment to catch our breath from the hustle and bustle of the school year season. And with this time of reflection, we find sparks that motivate us to continue to build this program with our student’s voices and experiences at its heart. The Self-Operation program is unique, while smaller at only eight schools, we have had the opportunity to build the program from the ground up since our first school started

in 2018. This has allowed us to be nimble and innovative as we collect real time feedback, and pivot to improve our operations, working environment for staff, and experience for our students. It also comes with a lot of pride – our Self-Operation team truly believes in the work we are doing, and we are collectively motivated to always improve. As we reflected on SY24-25 as a team, and as we reviewed our student survey data, there were some highlights I’d like to share! • This school year we expanded our plant-based menu offerings and explored new recipes and taste tested

some of these items with our students on Try it Tuesday! Our amazing Chef Brazil cooked on site to gather attention from the students, encourage them to try the • The team really leaned into our work with the Good Food Purchasing Program – in April we conducted a waste audit at Langley elementary school, we reduced more single use packaging, explored new partnerships with Food Rescue DC and engaged in training and resources for our staff. • We had the opportunity to meet all of our parent community members at Back to School nights in the fall, items and connect the students to their food.

and understand what their options are, and we are working towards a more dedicated marketing plan. • We also heard from students that while they liked the taste test of plant-based items, they were not selecting those items on the lunch line. We hope to improve the visibility of these items during mealtimes and encourage additional taste tests. As our leadership team reflects on our opportunity for growth we will also be focusing on a few initiatives for SY25-26: • The pilot program we started

at Dunbar HS with Food Rescue DC will be expanding to other schools across the cluster for fall 25-26. • Theme months to celebrate our students and staff and bring joy and appreciation into our cafeteria spaces! • New partnerships with DC agencies and partners to build a strong labor pathway from our city’s rich and diverse culinary training programs into DCPS schools. The passion that drives this program will continue to move us forward, and we look forward to serving our students for another year!

share our menus, swag and speak to the heart of our work! • We piloted tons of new menus items this school year and had the opportunity to celebrate Capitol Region Day, a day where we have hyper local items on our menus, twice! We also heard from our students some important information that will drive some of our initiatives for SY25-26: • Students would like additional opportunities to review the school menu

DCPS EATS

Breakfast FAVORITES

Average Happiness Level:

Breads Breakfast Bars

Eggs

Meat

Pastries

Yogurt Parfaits

Yogurt

Smoothies

Cold Cereals

Breakfast Sandwiches

Pancakes Waffles

Lunch FAVORITES Average Happiness Level:

Hot Sandwiches

International Options

Pasta Dishes

Entree Salads

Vegetarian Entrees

American Homestyle

Cold Sandwiches

Pizza

Rice Dishes

What do they want to see more of? “What do they want to see more of?”

APPROXIMATELY 124 SURVEYED STUDENTS

A Taste of What’s Next DCCK SHARES NEW FAVORITES AND FUTURE GOALS

Brianna Kelly Schools Food Lead, DC Central Kitchen

Travertine Garcia (Nutrition Manager), Brianna Kelly (Foodservice Lead), and Cynkithia Pelham (Foodservice Worker) attended the School Food Collaborative on behalf of DC Central Kitchen. We served our delicious, orange-glazed chicken, made with locally raised chicken breast roasted and smothered in our sweet and tangy house made orange sauce. We revamped our orange sauce recipe this school year, making this dish a new student favorite (see photo below.)

We served the chicken alongside some lightly steamed fresh snap peas, to show an authentic example of our school menu pairings and variety. We enjoyed meeting and working with the other FSMCs, community organizations, and local government agencies to discuss menu successes, challenges, and ideas for next school year. We had the opportunity to speak with a Ward 7 community leader and parent about challenges and opportunities related to school nutrition programming, like school gardens, compost pick- up, and food waste. This past school year, DCCK continued to strengthen our student engagement line up through taste tests, garden- based education, and cafeteria signage focused around monthly

themes. This school year, we look forward to continuing to serve student- and chef-driven menus, and finding innovative ways to engage students, families, and school staff in our programming throughout the year.

Breakfast FAVORITES

Average Happiness Level:

Pancakes Waffles

Smoothies Yogurt Parfaits

Yogurt

Pastries

Breads Breakfast Bars

Eggs

Breakfast Sandwiches

Cold Cereals

Meat

Lunch FAVORITES Average Happiness Level:

Pasta Dishes

Hot Sandwiches

International Options

American Homestyle

Vegetarian Entrees

Cold Sandwiches

Pizza Rice Dishes Entree Salads

What do they want to see more of? “What do they want to see more of?”

APPROXIMATELY 160 SURVEYED STUDENTS

Student Driven, Flavor Focused A FRESH TAKE ON SCHOOL MEALS

By Kelsey Lloyd Registered Dietitian

This summer, SodexoMagic had the pleasure of joining the School Food Collaborative (SFC) hosted by DCPS! In our parent focus group, we discussed various topics, including food and nutrition education, food presentation, food trends with students, and what the future holds for school meals. We love every opportunity we get to engage with our community, get their feedback, and build awareness within our ongoing food and nutrition experiences. A hot topic discussed at the SFC, was food presentation and meal customization. Studies show that now more than ever, students care about how food looks and their options. With so many customizable retail options outside of school, they are

looking for school meals to match that standard. Building from our school food collaborative discussion, we’ll be looking to revamp our “Build Your Own” meals this coming school year. We value every opportunity to enhance our food presentation and explore how the serving line can be optimized to make our nutritious meals look more exciting. While our training schedule is ongoing and it never stops, at the beginning of each school year, we bring team members from all of our DCPS sites together to reinforce our standards, our purpose, and our brands. During this three- day orientation, we discuss topics such as food safety, customer service, fast-scratch cooking techniques, and food presentation using industry-

leading training manuals with videos, images, and hands- on how-to’s. In addition to the interest in what food is served, many parents and members of the community also have an interest in students learning about nutrition and food. We have several ways of connecting with our students, including live cooking demonstrations for students and their families, taste testing events, and student surveys! Magic Kitchen demonstrations educate students on simple, easy-to-make recipes focused on fruits and vegetables. We also host surveys for new recipes and cafeteria favorites. This past spring, we gathered data on preferences including positive feedback on a new turkey chili, BYO breakfast

toast bars, smoothies at breakfast, and the most popular apples served - spoiler: it’s Granny Smiths! SodexoMagic is not only in the business of simply serving nutritious dishes. It is our mission to take it to the next level and curate memorable, nutritious food experiences through a robust promotional calendar that aligns with trending holidays and celebrations that connect with our students. We are constantly looking for ways to enthuse, engage, excite, and connect our students to trending and nutritious flavors.

This year, we are also excited to roll out a new science- based nutrition education, BiteScience, a platform that directly connects our amazing school communities to featured meals served on the line. We are eager for it to launch! We were already looking forward to the new school year, and the SFC amped up that excitement! We can’t wait to keep serving up creative, innovative options while partnering with our students and their families so that they get nutritious school meals.

Breakfast FAVORITES

Average Happiness Level:

Pancakes Waffles

Smoothies Yogurt Parfaits

Cold Cereals

Yogurt

Pastries

Breakfast Sandwiches

Eggs

Breakfast Bars

Breads

Meat

Lunch FAVORITES Average Happiness Level:

Pasta Dishes

Vegetarian Entrees

American Homestyle

International Options

Hot Sandwiches

Cold Sandwiches

Pizza

Entree Salads

Rice Dishes

What do they want to see more of? “What do they want to see more of?”

APPROXIMATELY 665 SURVEYED STUDENTS

Flavorful Futures: BUILDING COMMUNITIES THROUGH EVERY BITE

By Karsyn Tall Registered Dietitian

At the recent School Food Collaborative (SFC) event, we had the valuable opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with students, guardians, and local partners. These discussions were insightful and offered us a deeper understanding of the diverse perspectives surrounding school meals, especially between students and their guardians. A key takeaway from the event was the importance of increasing our visibility in schools to ensure students and families know how to share feedback or suggestions with us directly. In alignment with the event’s theme of global flavors, we served a fresh Mediterranean

Salad with Quinoa, which was well-received by attendees. It reflected our ongoing commitment to offering nutritious, flavorful meals that represent the DCPS community. Throughout the school year, our team has focused on both culinary innovation and community collaboration. We’ve conducted taste tests featuring dishes like kale and carrot salad, sweet potato hummus, and black bean dip. The taste tests gave students a chance to try new foods and share their thoughts. These efforts have been supported by strong partnerships with local organizations such as FoodPrints and FoodCorps interns, helping us enhance

both student engagement and nutrition education. Looking ahead to the 2025–26 school year, we’re excited to continue building on these efforts. One of our main goals is to expand community outreach by creating more opportunities for classroom engagement. We’re planning more hands-on events to encourage students to explore new foods and step outside their comfort zones. Additionally, we aim to strengthen our ties with local farms and boost our sustainability practices. We’re energized by the progress we’ve made and are looking forward to another impactful year of nourishing both minds and bodies.

Breakfast FAVORITES

Average Happiness Level:

Cold Cereals

Breakfast Sandwiches

Pancakes Waffles

Pastries

Breads Breakfast Bars

Eggs

Meat

Smoothies

Yogurt Parfaits

Yogurt

Lunch FAVORITES Average Happiness Level:

Entree Salads

American Homestyle

Hot Sandwiches

International Options

Vegetarian Entrees

Pasta Dishes

Cold Sandwiches

Pizza

Rice Dishes

What do they want to see more of? “What do they want to see more of?”

APPROXIMATELY 384 SURVEYED STUDENTS

Contributors Shawnee Easterwood, Food Corps Service Member SY2024-2025 Rachel Eldering, Specialist, Nutrition & Compliance Ayanna Long, Food Corps Service Member SY 2024-2025 Emily Morgan, Specialist, Budget and Data Strategy Ainsley Vogt, Coordinator, Nutrition & Compliance DCPS Office of Operations Chief of Operations, Lisa Putman Deputy Chief, Food & Nutrition Services, Robert Jaber

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