Keeping up with menu trends and kids’ food preferences can feel like a full-time job—especially on top of everything else you do to keep your program running. But part of keeping kids nourished is serving meals they’ll want to come back for day after day. Listening to what students want, or what they’re already eating at home, can help you stay ahead of the game.
In “Kids These Days: Listening to Students for Menu Inspiration,” a new SN Plus article, Bettina Applewhite, registered-dietitian and school nutrition specialist, shares how she approaches menu development through the lens of the students. Whether it’s large-scale taste tests, casual chats in the lunch line, or exploring your area’s local food culture, incorporating the flavors your students already love outside of the school cafeteria will make your menu much more appealing—and keep them coming back for more.
Click here to read the article, and check out the SN Plus archives in SNA’s online Resource Library for more strategies and solutions in K-12 foodservice.
School Nutrition thanks CJ Schwan’s for its generous support in making this article available.
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