| Categories |
À la carte foods and beverages; Adopt marketing techniques to promote healthful choices; Staff wellness; Make more healthful foods and beverages available |
| Problem Overview |
- 20,000 students district-wide in northeastern Wisconsin
- 39 percent of students eligible for free and reduced-price school meals
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| Program/Activity Description |
In planning for the 2002-2003 school year, the Green Bay school food service department decided to revise its mission statement to state that “positive nutrition habits have a direct impact on both student health and student learning.” Its mission now includes serving healthy meals, as well as “providing all students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make life-long and enjoyable food choices.” To live up to this statement, personnel needed to make some key changes in the foods served and to provide education that teaches students how to make smart food choices.
They started by making small changes, using one middle school as a pilot. Working with student advisory boards gave them an opportunity to explain the reasons for making food and beverage choices and to solicit input from students. Their biggest concern was that the removal of high-fat/high-sugar à la carte items would result in a significant loss of revenue.
However, through monitoring of meal participation and à la carte sales, they were able to document an overall increase in school food service revenue. The students benefited from healthier choices—and the food service program benefited from a healthier bottom line. Now, the changes are in effect in all nine secondary schools throughout the district.
The on-going changes in Green Bay schools are supported by a number of key players, including the food service staff, who are working through changes in food and beverage offerings and providing insights on how and what to serve; student leaders, who provide suggestions for potential menu items and explain cafeteria changes to their peers; administrators, who support the decision to improve the school nutrition environment and encourage students to make good choices; and parents, who help to model these positive eating behaviors at home.
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| Program/Activity Outcome |
- To enhance the school nutrition environment, the Green Bay food service department has incorporated many nutrient-rich options into their offerings. Low-nutrient items have been removed from à la carte lines and replaced with healthful alternatives such as fresh fruit and veggie trays, baked chips, and bagels. At the same time, à la carte space has been turned into additional school lunch lines with an increased emphasis on nutritious, appealing school meals.
- All foods sold in the cafeteria (school meals and à la carte) have been analyzed for nutrient content. Nutrition fact cards have been created for all items served and are posted on the serving line. Students can easily access this information while making food choices. Nutrition lessons were presented to students to educate them about using the fact cards and to encourage them to make smarter choices.
- Deep-fat fryers have been removed from all middle schools. High school menu items are prepared by baking instead of frying whenever possible.
- The central kitchen introduced whole-wheat flour blends in baked products to increase student intake of fiber and unrefined carbohydrates.
- When low-nutrient foods were removed from à la carte lines and replaced with healthful alternatives, daily à la carte revenue decreased by an average of 18 percent. However, the decreased emphasis on à la carte sales prompted a 15 percent increase in school meal participation! The revenue generated by the additional school meals more than doubled the lost à la carte revenue. Therefore, bottom-line dollars for school food service have increased overall.
- When low-nutrient foods were removed from à la carte lines and replaced with healthful alternatives, daily à la carte revenue decreased by an average of 18 percent. However, the decreased emphasis on à la carte sales prompted a 15 percent increase in school meal participation! The revenue generated by the additional school meals more than doubled the lost à la carte revenue. Therefore, bottom-line dollars for school food service have increased overall.
- A pilot project using a refrigerated vending machine in one high school sells sandwiches, salads, wraps, fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, bagels, and milk. Depending on the level of sales, such machines may be introduced to all secondary schools.
- The food service department partnered with a local hospital and other community partners to fund “The Opera of Health,” a nutrition education assembly program, for 20 elementary schools.
- Fifty percent of employees participated in a staff wellness challenge for the school food service department. The challenges included eating five fruits and vegetables per day, drinking eight glasses of water, eating breakfast, walking 10,000 or more steps per day, and exercising. The program has become a model program for all staff members in the Green Bay Public School District.
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| Story Highlights |
Keys to Success:
- Staff support: Willingness of head cooks to offer new menu items
- Administrative support: Backing of administration and principals
- Student involvement: Input from student advisory boards
Future Plans:
- Track quantitative data to assess the impact of the improved school nutrition environment on student behavior and academic performance.
- Collaborate with administrators to promote positive eating experiences (e.g., enough time to eat lunch, appropriate ways to control noise, recess before lunch).
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| Words of Wisdom |
"food service departments are many times hesitant to stop serving ‘junk’ à la carte items because there is the misconception that these are the only foods that bring in revenue. When appealing, healthful alternatives are offered, students do purchase these items, which contribute revenue to school meal programs. When à la carte options are limited, students have a greater incentive to participate in the school meal program, which can bring in significant revenue to school food service operations and enhance student nutrition."
— Sara Schmitz, Quality Assurance Specialist, Green Bay Public Schools |
| Program Contact |
Sara Schmitz |