K-12 Schools

Operations

New ranking reveals best high schools for food quality

William T. McFatter Technical Center in Florida and Itineris Early College High School in Utah top Niche’s 2016 list of public high schools with the best food.

Operations

District to pilot finger scanning to streamline lunch throughput

Officials say the program will help eliminate clerical errors.

The district hopes to reduce the waste it sends to landfills, as well as the nearly $140,000 it pays per year to have its trash hauled away.

The measure will create varying rates increasing by different amounts in different areas.

The kitchens save nearly $230,000 per participating school, officials say.

The program did not appear to boost students’ academic achievement, despite advocates’ hopes, officials say.

Local sourcing is in high demand, but it can present challenges to foodservice directors. Experts in the field share six tips for meeting these challenges.

The fines—which could equal up to 10 percent of the total amount schools are reimbursed for lunches—are intended to improve the integrity of the program, officials say.

Asian cuisines continue to trend on menus, with Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian being the most popular among consumers, according to a recent report from the National Restaurant Association. Pairing Asian flavors and ingredients with familiar proteins meets the demand for ethnic dishes with operational ease.

Don’t look now, but salad bars are becoming cool again.

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