Fresh from California: Menu Planning Support Session #3
About this Series
Looking for new ideas for your menus? Over the course of Spring 2022, the Center for Ecoliteracy hosted monthly menu planning support sessions in partnership with LunchAssist for our Fresh from California campaign. These informal group discussions were designed to support school nutrition professionals in plant-forward menu planning. Agendas were centered around local procurement, freshly prepared meals, menu/recipe considerations, navigating special diets, and much more to incorporate fresh fruits, vegetables, and legumes into school menus. Each session is intended for California school nutrition directors and school district menu planners.
About this Session
This session highlights strategies for building a sustainable salad bar and includes new enticing ideas that promote a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables for students.
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Slides: Session #3 - Sustainable Salad Bars
Download the Fresh from California: Menu Planning Support Session #3 slides.
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Chat: Session #3 - Sustainable Salad Bars
Welcome! Please introduce yourself by typing your name, position, and where you work into the chat box. What’s your favorite fruit or vegetable to feature on a salad bar?
Cristine Holmer- San Diego- cut avovados
Shannon Illingworth, Nutrition Specialist, Capistrano USD. Cucumber slices!
Mary DeLong, Director, PLESD. Peas
Feta Cheese
Karen Brown, creative director, Center for Ecoliteracy. Love jicama!
Dylan Hatami, Nutrition Specialist/Area Supervisor, WCCUSD, Organic Strawberries from a local farm
Janelle Manzano, F2S Specialist at San Diego Unified, I enjoy our spicy carrots featured on our salad bar!
Erica Lee, Robla ESD, fresh pineapple!
Mickinzie Lopez, LunchAssist - Sundried Tomatoes!
Marielena Covarrubias Whittier City School District - Meatless Southwest Salads
Hi Everyone, Krysta Williams from the Center for Ecoliteracy. I love any fruit that I can add to my salad
Rosa Rubio, Calistoga JUSD cucumbers!!!
Join the LunchAssist community here: [link]
Sign up here: [link]
Hi Everyone! Jen here from LunchAssist, just joining in! I loved eating the EUSD Farm Lab lettuce on our salad bars when I was Director at Encinitas. ?
Sign up for Fresh from California offerings here: [link]
Hello Everyone!
Hi, Irene! Thanks for joining us!
CHATBOX: For more general information about special crops, here’s a fact sheet: [link]
For those of you who have salad bars in your cafeterias, what are some benefits you have seen?
We'd love to hear about your experiences with salad bars at your district!
What School Nutrition Professionals Need to Know About COVID-19: [link]
Our students prefer more choices and reduce food waste.
Salad bars returning to our campuses have reduced our food waste significantly, especially with inflation and stressed supply chains. Quick thought- the fruit/veggie slide showing the focus to bring to students. Currently a 4 ounce serving of grapes would cost us $.90/serving. Drought is pushing prices really high for us.
If you’re interested in learning more about schooling for sustainability, check out the Center for Ecoliteracy’s Smart By Nature publication. [link]
Excerpt of the introduction here: [link]
1,500,000 lbs
YIKES!
Can you please share the recipe?
Hey Irene - here's that recipe! [link]
We’ll send that recipe in our follow-up email with resources, too!
yes
Measure Mizer spoons work really well
That's a great tip - thanks Suzanne!
Is this poster available for us to use?
Karolyn, the poster is linked in the resources on our last slide! We'll share the link then.
Find the 1/2 cup portion printable here: [link]
Thank you @Liz!
Thank you!
You are welcome @Karloyn!
Oh, thank YOU @Angela! ☺️
☺️
CDE Management Bulletin on Salad Bars in the NSLP: [link]
Ooooh, love the variety here!
Do you have a recipe for the three bean salad ?
Themed Salad Bars. Love it! Imagine the themes....
Great ideas for us to try.
Thank you for sharing!
We'll be sending all these links out via e-mail!
@Michael I know you could probably come up with a ton of themes ?
Learn more about the LunchAssist PRO Membership featuring Chefs from Brigaid at [link]
Are you interested in learning more about the LunchAssist x Brigaid partnership? Add your name to the waitlist and you’ll be the first find out more! [link]
Center for Ecoliteracy Resources
Learn more about the Fresh from California campaign: [link]
Plant-Forward School Meal Resources: [link]
No but I can find one. There are a ton floating around out there.
Thank you everyone! This was great information.
Thank you Irene!
Thank you. A good way to use USDA beans.
USA pulses has quite a few great bean recipes as well: [link]
BBQ Three Bean Salad recipe: [link]
Does anyone have a favorite recipe from their salad bar? Or an item that your students love?
Fantastic. Thanks for sharing
[link] (all things bean)
Premade coleslaw dressing is quick add to make broccoli salad sweet.
You are welcome @Cristina!
Thanks for sharing @Michael!
We are working on a diced chicken, spiniach, strawberry and sunflower seeds.
Checking it out now @Michael!
Oh Cristina that sounds delicious!
We do a "leftover salad on Fridays, kids love it!
Yesss @Julie!!
That's a win!
Thank you for all the fun ideas!
Great idea @Julie!
Thanks for having us!
And thank you for joining us everyone!
thanks to everyone!
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August 24 2022
