Orange County Public Schools Food & Nutrition Services (FNS) has been awarded a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services Best Practice Award. This distinguished regional award is given through the State of Florida’s Child Nutrition Programs for increasing participation in school lunch or breakfast. Orange County Public Schools increased high school lunch participation by 40 percent meeting the school board’s Wellness Policy.
“It is an honor to receive this recognition from the USDA. We listened, researched and implemented what our students wanted to eat,” said Lora Gilbert, Director of the Food & Nutrition Services Program.
FNS received this award for going to students and gaining their opinion through focus groups and surveys. The department then took the results from the surveys and worked with manufacturers and brokers to find or produce menu items the students wanted.
The newly-developed menu items went through one more test at the Student Food Show. More than 200 elementary, middle and high schools students tasted and evaluated food items presented by 25 different manufacturer and brokers. Based on research, cost and nutrition, the menus were revamped. They were piloted in select high schools in the spring and then implemented in all high schools in the fall. The new menu included items such as a Fruit and Cheese Salad, Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo, Swedish Meatballs, BBQ Roasted Chicken and popular Asian items that all meet the strict federal nutritional guidelines. FNS also has an array of vegetarian items like Cheesy Garlic Flatbread, Veggie Dippers and Veggie BBQ Rib Sandwiches.
Every year, OCPS FNS serves more than 26 million meals and snacks or approximately 145,000 meals per day. In addition, the department brings in more than $45 million in federal money to the district.
