GCISD Nutrition Services Student Voice Initiative

Student feedback is an important factor in the Nutrition Services Department in the planning and development of menus and promotions. The department receives feedback from students, parents and community members through a variety of methods, including online surveys, focus groups, taste test parties, direct interaction on the serving line and the happy or not instant feedback tool. We value the feedback we receive and will continue to implement program changes based on the feedback.

STUDENT SURVEYS

Nutrition Services regularly seeks student feedback about the school menu and food items offered through direct feedback, Happy or Not, Student Surveys and Focus Groups.

Below are the results of the Happy or Not tool from the 2018-2019 school year in which students were asked, "How was your lunch today?"

Based upon this feedback, Nutrition Services is implementing the following in the 2019-2020 School Year:

Created a separate menu for middle schools
Added a Culinary Trainer/Chef to work with staff on continuous quality improvement
Added more branded items and a Premium Meal to the Snack Bar lines at lunch in the middle schools
Reviewed recipes for flavor and quality and made changes to improve the quality of products offered

Click to view the 2020-2021

TASTE TESTING

Throughout the year, the department samples products with students at all campuses in order to find the best quality products. During these focus groups, students are able to taste test and provide their feedback on potential menu items for the upcoming school year.

In addition to on-site taste testing, the department hosts an Annual Taste Test Party that is conducted in May to finalize the menu for the upcoming school year. Students provided feedback on several potential menu items including:

Strawberry Pancake Bowl
Egg & Cheese Breakfast Croissant
Chicken & Waffles
Orange Chicken
Baked Potato Soup
Cheese Pretzel
Mango Sriracha Sherbet

Student feedback on all of the items sampled was overwhelmingly positive. The above items were incorporated into the breakfast and/or lunch menu for the 2019-2020 school year.

PARENT SURVEYS

Nutrition Services makes available surveys to parents through the district website, Meal Viewer app, Myschoolbucks.com website and on the serving lines.

In response to feedback, the department is implementing the following initiatives:

Added a Culinary Trainer/Chef to work with staff on continual quality improvement and training
Enhancing menu items by adding higher quality products
Incorporating fresh herbs into recipes
Utilizing more fresh and local produce on the menu
Expanding the flavor profile of items for a more diverse palate
Expanding promotions in the cafeteria to increase student engagement
The Chef provides food samples at schools throughout the school year
Providing specific job training for staff focusing on food quality, equipment use and recipe execution

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement (English)

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
[email protected]

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.