Page 71 - Superintendent Report 2023-24

Increased Cultural Menu Offerings
School Food Service proudly featured culturally-diverse menus in celebration of holidays and observances
throughout FY23.

Hispanic Heritage Month
As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, students were offered a variety of special dishes between
September 15 and October 15. Some of the featured items were already incorporated into the
diverse menu offerings like soft tacos, black beans, pupusa, fiesta corn, chicken fajitas, Spanish
rice, and seasoned red beans. New recipes introduced included cheese and green chili tamales,
refried beans, and yuca bites.
Chinese New Year
On January 27, all schools served chicken potstickers with fried rice for the Chinese New Year.
In preparation for this meal, students from Acreage Pines ES, Boca MS, and Independence MS
provided taste-testing feedback. This cultural menu offering was well received and will become
a regular offering on lunch menus. Hispanic Heritage Month Poster

Black History Month
Throughout the month of February, cafeterias featured soul food-inspired dishes as part of Black
History Month. Featured dishes included: homestyle chicken with rice and black-eyed peas,
macaroni & cheese with corn loaf and BBQ baked beans, BBQ chicken and hush puppies with
southern green beans, oven-roasted chicken and dinner rolls with sweet potato bake, homestyle
fish fries with cheesy grits, and seasoned collard greens with blueberry cobbler.

Earth Day
On April 21 students celebrated Earth Day with a special meat-free entrée. Cafeterias offered
either Morningstar Farms Plant-Based Chik’n Nuggets or Plant-Based Buffalo Chik’n Nuggets. It
was exciting to offer students the opportunity to eat a meat-free meal.
Black History Month Poster
No Antibiotic Ever Chicken Pilot
School Food Service participated in a pilot, in conjunction with the Urban School Food Alliance
(USFA), to join 17 large school districts to assist with the development of a proprietary No
Antibiotic Ever (NAE) chicken product line for USFA members. Members of the committee have
a passion for creating change for the health and wellness of students.

The group was able to develop the nutritional panel, write bid specifications, test samples,
advertise a bid solicitation, and award a vendor with the capability of producing and shipping
products across the country. SFS purchased 1,146 cases equivalent to 130,644 servings for
students of the District.

This was a limited time offer to evaluate the bid process, receive student feedback, and determine
overall acceptability. The bid was awarded to Rich Chicks and the committee is in the process of
compiling the information to determine future bid possibilities. Earth Day Poster

EDUCATE | AFFIRM | INSPIRE // 71