Plan smart from the start
At Boulder Valley School District in Boulder, Colo., director of food services Ann Cooper credits her kitchen’s modern equipment for helping her successfully transform the district’s program from one that relied on processed foods to one centered on scratch-made meals.
“It’s been integral,” says Cooper, who, along with her staff, serves meals to more than 30,000 students daily. “Without good equipment, you really can’t become efficient enough.”
Over the years, Cooper says, the district has added combi ovens, blast chillers, horizontal mixers, large food choppers and more. Faced with an array of options when starting the project, Cooper structured her menu first, letting that dictate what equipment was worth the investment.