DCPS Tray Talk

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