Keeping MS Students Excited with New Menu Options

Scratch-made tomato bisque, charcuterie trays and peanut butter yogurt dip are just a few of the new offerings on the menu for students of DeSoto County Schools in Mississippi. This year, Child Nutrition Director Alex Hallmark hired a registered dietitian and worked with the district’s nutrition team to update breakfast and lunch options so the students would not get bored with school meals. Student feedback has been so positive, that many of the dishes are being served regularly, with new ideas in the works for the future.

“While kids are habitual eaters, they do like to see new things,” said Alex Hallmark, Child Nutrition Director for DeSoto County Schools. In January, the district celebrated National Soup Month with scratch-made recipes on all school menus, from the elementary school to the high school. According to Hallmark, the soups were received so well that many options, including chicken noodle, tomato bisque and potato soup, are now part of the regular menu rotation.

“I feel it is important to work with my staff when we introduce new menu items to make sure they are comfortable with the recipes too,” said Hallmark. “We create videos for them to watch of how new offerings are prepared.”

When the nutrition team saw how much elementary students enjoyed the addition of bento boxes and charcuterie trays on menus, they were motivated to get even more creative and start cutting shapes out of the fruit.

“It has been amazing to see our team members run with the new ideas we have implemented and take the meals to the next level,” said Hallmark. “Bringing these new meal options to students has also been made possible by the support of our administration.”

One of the district’s schools has been awarded a grant to add a garden. Hallmark says her team is excited to use the vegetables grown on that school’s lunch menus next year when they can harvest them. The district also secured a new partnership with a local farm to provide grass-fed beef for burgers and breakfast sausage to students.

The nutrition team has developed multiple new breakfast items they tested during lunchtime with students. Hallmark and the district dietitian visited schools to get student feedback during the samplings. Students loved the peanut butter yogurt dip and creamy yogurt dip served with whole grain Crunch & Crave Churro Crackers, which will be coming to the DeSoto County Schools’ breakfast menus in the future.

Hallmark says they are planning additional breakfast pop-up events to test new recipes including overnight oats, blenderless smoothies and donuts with yogurt glaze.

Research finds children are getting their healthiest meals at school. Hallmark points out that school meals also teach children proper portion control – school breakfast and lunch trays show students what well-balanced meals should look like!