Due to labor shortages, many K-12 kitchens struggle to provide from-scratch meals to students. Some of these kitchens also may not be designed with the equipment needed to properly support a scratch cooking model. However, there are grants and assistance programs available to support school districts with a move toward school menu planning that incorporates fresh fruits, vegetables and proteins.
At Victor Central School District, they have a saying: “Fresh is Best” — and they lead by example for their pre-K to twelfth grade students. Their food service program consists of 25% of from-scratch menu items with ingredients sourced from local farms, with many of those being served in the high school cafeteria. They have the goal of reaching 40% by the end of the school year and expanding more...
With time and staff at a premium in most K-12 kitchens, it’s important to look for ways to expedite food preparation for school cafeterias. While it may be tempting to turn to pre-processed packaged food as a solution, it can lack in quality and is often more expensive in the long-term.
