NEARING 25: BETTER THAN EVER — Nutrition Services is student support you can stick a fork into

--- Published on May 11th 2016 ---
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Natomas Unified now serves about three times more meals each day than the total number of its students when the District was created in 1992. But numbers alone don’t tell the story. Through the years, the District has expanded options and improved service by:

·         Responding to stricter federal standards by reducing salt and fat in school meals, using more fruit, vegetables and whole grains

·         Creating a salad bar at each school cafeteria

·         Launching a supper program at eight schools to supplement its breakfasts and lunches, ensuring that thousands of children who may not always get square meals at home have access to them at school

·         Serving tens of thousands of free summer meals – breakfasts and lunches – to ensure that no child goes hungry during months that school is not in session

·         Initiating a farm-to-fork program in which NUSD buys more fruits and vegetables directly from local farmers in a program designed to provide students with fresher foods while boosting the local economy

·         Partnering with local farmers in a handful of community promotional events offering a free farmers market with a variety of fruits and vegetables

In recent years, NUSD has changed the name of its department producing school meals from “Food Services” to “Nutrition Services,” stressing its pursuit of healthy cafeteria entrees. Once subsidized by the District’s General Fund, the program is now self-sufficient, boosting its revenue partly by increasing the number of student meals served and by expanding its catering program for district-sponsored events, such as Parent University workshops.

Vince Caguin, NUSD’s food director, has participated in a program by the California Department of Education to create new, tastier menu items statewide. He also was a nominee this year in Natomas’ annual N Factor Awards for “Distinguished Service to Natomas.”

“It’s definitely improved over time, and that’s our goal,” Caguin said of cafeteria nutrition.  Some menu items will look great on paper but fail with kids. That’s OK. The idea is to keep trying, keep innovating, keep searching for what works best, he said.

“I just don’t want us to be in the middle — I don’t want to be mediocre with menu items,” Caguin said.

Nutrition Services also works with high school culinary classes or clubs. Months ago, for example, it took 42 high school students – most of them culinary arts enthusiasts – on a tour of a West Sacramento farm, where they participated in a “mock harvest” of produce and were given the chance to help package butternut squash. Some teens pitched in that day to help plan NUSD’s Thanksgiving menu. Weeks later, seven of the culinary students came to NUSD’s central kitchen to help cut and cook 55 turkeys to serve as the holiday meal in school cafeterias.

When opportunities arise, Nutrition Services also reached out to the general education population, visiting classrooms or offering hands-on programs that teach students about cooking and nutrition. Last year, for example, it led an after-school Coyote Cooking and Nutrition Club in which it taught Natomas Park Elementary School students how to prepare simple food items and gave them basic information about healthy eating, nutrition, sanitation, and physical activity to burn calories. One session, the class made quesadillas, while other sessions it made yogurt parfaits, taco salads, kiwi-and-spinach smoothies or other nutritious food items.

Caguin smiles recalling an incident several months ago in which a girl student at American Lakes School walked up to him holding a kiwi and noted that it’s OK to eat the skin. She took a big bite to prove her point. “I said, ‘Yeah, that’s cool, where did you learn that?’” Caguin said. “She said, ‘You taught me that in class.’  Turns out the girl didn’t like kiwi initially, but not only has she begun to appreciate the fruit but “she’s eating the weird skin that’s edible – and she’s telling me about it.”

(Note: As NUSD’s Silver Anniversary nears, this is one in a series of stories spotlighting changes made through the years to support student success.)  

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