Upgrades made to food services at schools

Teachers eat food made at Marianna High School during a district wide staff meeting Friday. Students can expect healthier menu items this school year.

By: Morgan Carlson | Jackson County Floridan
Published: August 15, 2010

Due to new technology, it’s going to be easier for parents to get involved with their children’s school lunches.

Food service for the Jackson County School District is going to a web-based system that parents and students can interact with.

The new system will allow parents to pay for lunches online, view their children’s balance, track what their children are eating, and apply for free or reduced lunches, according to Jack Noonan, food service director for the district.

Carb counts and nutrient information for menu items and monthly menus are also available online.

The technology is not the only change. Schools will soon be seeing some new, healthier food items served, Noonan said in a presentation at a school board workshop Thursday.

Each school will offer fresh fruit and a chef salad every day. Also, baked chips, 100 calorie snacks and 100 percent fruit juices will be offered as a la carte items, Noonan said Friday.

Schools have not offered carbonated beverages since the 2008-2009 school year because of federal guidelines.

Another change making school meals healthier is eliminating fryers in the kitchens. There are no fryers in any of the elementary schools in Jackson County, Noonan said.

“That raised an eyebrow with the school board,” he said. “They knew I meant business.”

Noonan said the difference in fat calories between fried and baked items is significant, and the taste isn’t much different. Students didn’t notice a significant change, he said.

Six of the 15 schools with food services in the county still have fryers.

Jackson County also participates in the New North Florida Cooperative Farm to School Program, in which county farms grow produce that is served in schools. Only a handful of counties in Florida participate in this program.

Jackson County schools have served locally grown collard greens and sweet potatoes in the past. This year, locally grown green beans are being introduced, Noonan said.

The fresh, locally grown vegetables cost more than canned produce, but the difference in quality makes up for it, he said.

Another new development is a staff frequency card. Teachers and school staff are being encouraged to eat the food served in schools, by using a card that provides a free meal after purchasing nine.

In two months, staff participation in meals increased by 300 percent after the card was introduced, Noonan said.

As in previous years, students are encouraged to eat breakfast by offering it free for students at all schools.

Parents can access the new web-based system starting Aug. 20, on the current food services web page. Go to http://www.jcsb.org and then click on the “food service” tab.