1. What’s for Lunch?
Building excitement in students through creative menu planning
Becky Landes Food Service Operations Manager
Manchester Community Schools
North Manchester, Indiana

2. Manchester Community Schools
Rural School District
1600 students (average)
F/R rate 49.59%
3 buildings – kitchens in each
21 kitchen staff
Year
Lunches served
Paid Lunches
229,134
106,671
232,543
105,127
234,057
105,414

3. What are you eating tonight?
Have a conversation with students about what they eat.

4. What’s for Lunch? Build a Burrito Multi –grain 10” soft shell tortilla
Brown Rice
Fire Roasted Black Beans and Corn
USDA Foods
Diced Chicken
Steamed Red/Green Pepper Strips with Onions
Shaved Beef Steak
Shredded Romaine
Queso or Yellow Cheese Sauce
Jalapeno
Refried Beans
Black Olives
Salsa
And of course fresh lime wedges!
What’s for Lunch?

5. Ask the Kids They are the customer They have an opinion
They have great ideas
Most important: It becomes theirs!

6. Top Dog – Hot Dogs Unleashed
All Beef Low Sodium Hot Dog or Smoked Sausage on Whole Grain Bun
USDA Foods Salsa
Jalapeno
Guacamole
Baked Doritos
Baby Carrots on the side and much more!
Kraut or Cole Slaw
USDA Foods Shredded Cheese
Lettuce
Diced Fresh Tomatoes
Pickle Strips
Onion
What’s for Lunch?

7. Do kids REALLY eat salad?
Pictured:
Nate Fingerle – River Ridge Farm

8. What’s for Lunch? Salad Bar Fresh Spinach Proteins (USDA Foods)
Shredded Romaine
Diced Turkey and/or Ham
Local Produce
Shredded Cheese
Broccoli
Whole/Diced Hard Boiled Eggs
Carrots
Even PBJ Sandwich
Snack Peppers
Not just Veggies!
Cucumbers
Kiwi
Red/Yellow/Purple Tomatoes
Fresh Pineapple
Radishes
Orange Sections
Diced Red/Green Bell Peppers
Fresh Fruit Mix
Ugli Fruit
Onion
Fresh Strawberries
Mushrooms, Peas, Cauliflower, Chickpeas/Black Beans, Salsa
Craisins
Melon
Goldfish, Croutons, Pasta
What’s for Lunch?

9. How the Process Works Step 1 Talk to Students
Step 2 Look for Inspiration
Step 3 Make it Fit the Meal Pattern
Step 4 USDA Foods & Budget
Step 5 Train the Staff
Step 6 Serve and Get Feedback
How the Process Works

10. Step 1 Talk to Students How the Process Works
Don’t stay behind the serving line
Learn to know the students
Find out what they eat at home
What are their favorite meals/dishes
What meals/dishes are their least favorites
Step 1
Talk to Students

11. Step 2 Look for Inspiration
How the Process Works
Restaurants where I eat
Requests
Co-workers
Friends/Family
Cookbooks from my culture
Taste of Home – online/magazine
Step 2 Look for Inspiration

12. Step 3 Make it Fit the Meal Pattern
How the Process Works
Look for creative ways to incorporate vegetable sub groups
Scratch cooking lets you tweak the sodium
Look for more upscale or artisan grains
Lots of fresh veggies and fruits – keeps sodium and saturated fats lower
Low fat and sodium condiments
Use processed proteins less frequently or look for acceptable lower sodium products
Step 3 Make it Fit the Meal Pattern

13. How the Process Works Step 4 USDA Foods & Budget
What USDA Foods are available
Meal cost
Balanced over a week-long period
Ala-carte sales
Step 4
USDA Foods
&
Budget

14. Step 5 Train the Staff How the Process Works Prep details
Setting up the line
Portion sizes
They need to eat the food, too!

15. Step 6 Serve and Get Feedback How the Process Works Be enthusiastic
Engage the students
Ask for honest feedback
Try it more than once
Did I say, be enthusiastic???
Step 6
Serve and Get
Feedback

16. Take Home Moment
Serving school meals is more than just putting food into students stomachs. It’s about feeding them the best meals possible because you care.

17. Resources Manchester Community Schools Nutrition Department
Indiana Department of Education - Office of School and Community Nutrition
Kids in lunch line graphic –
Kids eating lunch graphic – blog.harvardvanguard.org
Top Dog Concept – Senior English Class 2015
Top Dog logo – David Zinsmeister
Nate Fingerle photo – Rachel Brandenburg
Power Point layout and Technical Assistance – David Zinsmeister