PONDER
MENU PRO TIP Adding trendy foods to school menus highlights the significance of using flavorful seasonings, exploring global culinary influences, and recognizing the impact of social media on food choices. It’s an exciting way to make school lunches more appealing and keep them fresh for students. While it’s important to keep up with trendy food items, it’s also crucial to have a balance between tradition and innovation. The Gen Alpha students that we currently serve are often de- scribed as the “Foodie” generation. Here are some Gen Alpha food trends to inspire your school menu: • Global Flavors: Incorporating a diverse range of global flavors into menus, reflects students’ growing interest in international cuisine. From a Korean Beef Bulgogi Melt to Argentinian Chi- michurri Rice, these offerings provide a flavorful and global food educational experience! • Plant-Based Options: Across various districts, there’s a noticeable surge in demand for plant- based menu items. Whether it’s substituting with tofu, black beans, or a Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joe , students are increasingly opting for healthier, more sustainable alternatives. • Customization Stations: “Build-your-own” sta- tions are still a popular and trending style for serving students as it allows students to custom- ize their meals. Whether it’s a build-your-own sal- ad bar, a pasta station, or a Ramen Noodle Bar Day . This concept provides options for personal- ization and empowers students to make health - ier choices while catering to their tastes and di- etary preferences. • Spicy, Hot Sauces: Kids today are loving spicy foods. This love for heat is shown in the popular- ity of items like hot honey, the concern sparked by a sriracha shortage, and the success of web series about spicy foods. Infusing some spice on your menus can be as easy as using a trendy sauce on a student-favorite item, such as these Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Sliders , or for more adventurous eaters a Harissa Chicken Flatbread might just be what draws them in. Another way you can spice up your lunchroom is with a flavor station. This can be a fun way for kids to se - lect and enjoy new flavors!
When we approach our school menus with creativity, we discover exciting opportunities by thinking beyond the norm. We often get ideas for new recipe concepts at distributor food shows not just in the K-12 vendor area but also by spending time exploring commercial recipe concepts that might translate well to the school cafeteria. One such recipe at a recent Gordon Foodservice show was a Buffalo Butter Chicken Dip Flatbread. Look for our school-friendly version of this coming soon! When observing where students dine outside of school, such as at home or restaurants nearby, we gain valu- able insights into their preferences. We also ask the question…If certain foods or trends are popular among kids, why not incorporate them into our menus? School lunch items can easily compete with local favorites like Starbucks, Panera, Chick-fil-A, and Chipotle by offering similarly appealing options. Try out our restaurant reci- pe copycats such as Copycat Starbucks® Egg Bites or KFC® Copycat Coleslaw.
LEARN
Understanding the term “know your audience” is crucial for learning your students’ preferences and interests. Trends are always changing for students, so finding dif - ferent ways to understand their preferences is import- ant. To stay on top of this, Pisanick Partners host Try Days where students can taste-test potential new menu items, bringing excitement and engagement to the menu. This serves as an excellent opportunity to learn more about students’ food preferences. Check out the recap of our Fruity FlaMango and Chocolate Monkey Moo Smooth- ie Try Day on the previous page.
INNOVATE
It can often be challenging to keep up with the diverse palates of our students. However, maintaining an ap- pealing and evolving menu that entices students into your cafeteria ensures that school nutrition programs remain an integral piece to the overall well-being of stu- dents during their school day. Who knows? It might even become the trendiest “restaurant” in town!
Pisanick Partners Pisanick Partners is a nutrition and operations based consulting firm with decades of experience in Child Nutrition. We have refine our approach through creation of cycle menus, training and development of staff, and implementing strategies that take on the task of not only attaining nutritional excellence, but also financial success in the K-12 environment. Our experience not only supports a school district in meeting all state and federal mandates for implementing the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, but also the menu creation with an eye for detail and meticulous organization. The objective is to quickly and accurately evaluate, analyze and organize a district’s nutritional program to insure compliance and easy on-going maintenance.
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