School District Food Ahead of Nutrition Curve, Food Service Says

Nearly a dozen people who attended the 's food tasting and lecture Tuesday gave positive reviews.

The annual event allows parents, students and residents to try the same foods offered at the lunch hour each day. General Manager of Sodexo Food Service Michelle Knotts told the small group how the district is ahead of the curve with nutrition as healthier choices have been added to the menu for a few years.

A healthier snack plan is in place for students, offering only baked, not fried, potato chips and pretzels. This program has been in place for three years, Knotts said.

Other changes include all whole-grain breads, even for pizza day, which is the largest purchased lunch day for all of the schools, Knotts said. The cafeterias also offer a freshly tossed salad station, reduced fat cheese options and vegetarian options, she said. 

Another unique offering is real mashed potatoes. Knotts said the employees clean and peel 115 pounds of potatoes and mash them so students can have the real thing rather than boxed.

Knotts said one of the challenges is to reduce the sodium content. She is also aiming to eliminate preservatives and to buy all local foods. Practices are already underway. 

Grosse Pointe Woods resident Ryan Woods attended with her 11-year-old son Tim. Woods said her son and his twin sister, Maggie, currently attend but will move to middle school next year. She wanted to know what options may be available to her children. 

Maggie and Tim typically pack lunch, except on pizza day, but as lunchtime becomes more of a social experience, Woods anticipates they may buy lunch more often.

"I have taken a lot of time to teach them good eating habits at home," Bowers said. "I want to make sure they are offered the same options here."

teacher Deane Preston and her friend Sharon Kenny, of the Woods, also attended. Preston said it's nice to know what the options are for students. Often the cafeteria is so packed at the lunch hour, it's hard for her to make it in, she said. 

Additionally, Preston learned about Grosse Pointe Gourmet, a special menu developed for teachers and staff throughout the district. They can place orders by 9 a.m. for lunchtime delivery. She plans to take advantage of the service, she said.

Sodexo employee Gloria Kowal and her husband, Robert, attended because she likes to know what is being served to the students. Gloria Kowal is a substitute who floats among the elementary schools. Often it's hard  to have the big picture of the lunch options for the children when she is working in only one area, she said.

Two teachers from also attended to learn more about the food being served. They work with the pre-schoolers, who are eating purchased lunches from the school.