FROM THE BLOG
with Dr. Katie Wilson, SNS
Student voice in school food choice: Strategies to engage students in menu design
As millions of students in our member districts and those across the country returned to school this month, they were greeted by familiar faces in the cafeteria and exciting additions to the menu. Though the options may seem new to many students, school nutrition programs have been working in the background for months or more to find the best new products and customize the menu for the upcoming school year. This includes the important work of engaging students in the process to learn more about what they love. Student feedback is critical to creating healthy and delicious school meals. It helps ensure that new recipes resonate with the trends and preferences of youth and encourages students to experience new foods. However, the process isn’t only beneficial to school nutrition programs. It also provides students with hands-on learning opportunities. For example, by participating in the decision-making process, students learn more about the high nutrition standards that school meals are required to meet, including the necessary meal components. This may help students understand how school meals differ from those they encounter at fast food restaurants or the grocery store. Additionally, it willcan help reinforce MyPlate guidelines and the importance of eating a balanced diet. Partnering with students on menu design fosters a sense of agency, promotes the importance of civic participation, and demonstrates their ability to create change in their schools and communities by using their voice. Urban School Food Alliance members operate a variety of creative programs and activities to ensure
that student voice is represented in the menu design process. Below are a few examples of the great partnerships in our member districts between students and school nutrition professionals.
Students in Los Angeles Unified School District sample new menu items and provide feedback in July 2022.
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) connects with families throughout the year to sample new products and gather feedback for menu and procurement decisions. Items must receive a 75% approval rating or higher in order to make it on the menu. To ensure these events capture a large and diverse sample of responses, LAUSD Food Services hosts taste tests at different school sites each school year for students and their parents. During the 2022-2023 school year, LAUSD will conduct taste testing at three sites in October, and again in March, each with 300-500 participants. Additionally, LAUSD schools utilize events like back-to-school nights, Meet the Teacher, open house, and other school functions as opportunities to offer samples to students and parents and highlight menu options.
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