As I wing my way across the country to attend the School Nutrition Association’s Leadership conference, I find myself pondering my next blog post. Stuck in my head is a “part II” Make Lunch, Not War post about the players and problems facing school nutrition professionals as we look forward to Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2015 (CNR15). That post seems stuck in my head, without an eloquent or succinct way for me to continue that discussion. It just all feels so negative & political…. And it just doesn’t seem to want to come out of my fingertips to the page. And so, I will continue to push that pot to the back burner and let it simmer some more, as I focus more on productive, and more relevant posts.
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| RSU #14 Culinary Boot Camp Training |
Almost two years ago, our district made the strategic
decision to hire a chef as part of our school nutrition department’s management
team. At the time, we were knee deep
into implementing the nutrition guidelines of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act
of 2010 (HHFKA). Our strategy &
goals were for our chef to help us manage these new changes by assisting us
with recipe & menu development, managing nutrient analysis, educating and
supporting staff to develop culinary skills and techniques, increasing local
foods in our school cafeterias, and increasing interest and excitement at the
school level by regularly cooking in our school kitchens at “not guest” Chef
events.
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| Chef Sam portions school made breadsticks |
As I look back at the past 2 years, I firmly believe that
this was one of the best decisions Windham Raymond School Nutrition program has
ever made. At a critical time, when so many school
nutrition programs have battled public perception and experienced decreasing
participation, our program has thrived. Over
the past several years, breakfast and lunch participation has been increasing
at all grade levels. It is a frequent
occurrence for parents to email us for recipes or comment that they wish THEY
had so many great choices for lunch everyday.
Why a chef??
A
recent study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has shown that
"chef enhanced school meals increase healthy food consumption."
The article explains that while hosting Guest Chef events at
schools can add excitement and lend positive public relations to school
nutrition programs, having
a chef on staff who tests and
develops recipes and trains school nutrition staff results
in children learning to like AND enjoy healthy whole grains, fruits, and
vegetables. The study showed that hiring a chef who works with district
school nutrition personnel improved the quality, flavor and palatability of the
food, and not only decreases plate waste, but increases school meal
participation. While our district was
not part of this study, it could have been.
The research and outcomes have been mirrored in our district, since hiring
Chef Sam as part of our School Nutrition staff.
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| Cheese filled cannelloni |
Chef
Sam’s duties range from developing and taste testing the recipes, training
and supporting staff as we increase “from scratch” cooking, adapting existing
recipes to meet current USDA guidelines while maintaining palatability, and culinary
skill building with staff to increase productivity, efficiency and safety in
the kitchen. In addition, she teaches an
afterschool cooking class for students and oversees our weekend backpack food
program. Chef Sam frequently works in the school
kitchens, alongside school nutrition staff, making delicious and healthy
meals. A current favorite is cheese
filled cannelloni with freshly rolled pasta sheets, accompanied by a school
baked whole grain roll, garden fresh salad, and a fruit & veggie bar. Fresh pasta in schools? Yes, please!
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| Knife skills training @ Cooking Club |
Chefs are practically celebrities these days, with so many
cooking shows on television and in the media, and school chefs are no
exception. There is incredible
excitement when Chef Sam is in the kitchen.
Her delicious
& nutritious health centered approach to cooking & eating inspires our
menus, inspires our students and inspires us!
Any school district looking to build participation, credibility,
excitement and enthusiasm for the school nutrition program should consider adding
a chef to their team. When chefs become
part of a school nutrition team, the results are increased school meal
enthusiasm, increased participation, decreased plate waste, and most
importantly, increased consumption of healthy foods, including fruits,
vegetables and whole grains in children.
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| Fresh & Local - Lasagna made with fresh pasta |
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