Category: Nutrition

Media Release: Students and Families in Dover-Foxcroft Kick Off Hot Lunch Summer with New SUN Bucks Program

(A local farm brought calves and one got for students to put in honor of National Dairy Month.)

Dover-Foxcroft – Students and families gathered at SeDoMoCha Elementary School (RSU 68) on Monday to kick off the 2024 Hot Lunch Summer Meal Program and the new SUN Bucks benefit. The event, supported by officials from the Maine Department of Education (DOE), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and RSU 68, showcased new options to help ensure children have access to nutritious meals throughout the summer months.

SUN Bucks, announced last month by Maine DHHS’ Office for Family Independence, is an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program that provides families with a one-time benefit of $120 for each eligible school-aged child to supplement the summer grocery budget. Funds are sent directly to an EBT card for qualified families to purchase meals for students across the summer months.

“The USDA’s Summer Nutrition Programs are an extraordinary opportunity to close the summer hunger gap. We, at USDA, are thrilled to be able to offer Maine SUN Bucks a new opportunity to support students in the summer months,” said Sakeenah Shabazz, a national senior policy advisor for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

Many schools and summer camp groups gathered at SeDoMoCha on Monday for the celebration. The theme of the day was “Get Mooving,” a nod to National Dairy Month. At cow print-covered tables, students were fed nutritious meals with samples from Oakhurst Dairy and Pineland Farms and colored pictures of happy cows. After lunch, students got to pet local farm animals.

Representatives from the Maine DOE, and DHHS greeted students as they headed outside to play.

Parents also came out to celebrate the Hot Lunch Summer program and learn about the newest summer meal option. “Me and the kids have come up for the past few years for meals. They love to do it. They love the food. It is a great program, and we are grateful the school has it because we are a low-income family,” explained one SeDoMoCha parent. “SUN Bucks is awesome; I am already signed up. I just got a letter in the mail that said I automatically qualified, so I didn’t have to wait or really do anything.”

Families already participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), experiencing homelessness, part of migrant families, or receiving MaineCare with a verified annual income under 185% of the federal poverty level will be automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks.  

This new meal option comes in addition to congregate and non-congregate programs. Congregate meals, which are served at schools, have been available to families since the pandemic. Non-congregate meals, which are delivered, are also a recent expansion of Hot Lunch Summer.

“SUN Bucks is a wonderful addition to the Summer Meals Program we’ve been running for years and years. We have over 400 sites across the state of Maine where children can receive meals, either congregate or non-congregate. Hot Lunch Summer is keeping these kids healthy over the summer and keeping them learning,” said Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition Director Jane McLucas.

“The SUN Bucks program just goes in addition to what we’re doing. It’s just awesome. I bring smiles to kids’ faces, and I put food in their bellies,” said RSU 68 Food Service Director Heather Whitten.

SUN Bucks can be used anywhere that accepts SNAP benefits, including grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and convenience stores. It is especially beneficial for families living in rural Maine, who may have to travel further to reach a meal site.

“The SUN Bucks program is really exciting for so many of us,” said Michael Downs, Senior Program Manager of SNAP within the Office for Family Independence at the Maine DHHS. “Giving families an EBT benefit that they can spend at their local grocery store or farmers markets to make sure they have healthy foods in their homes for meals and snacks helps fill in some of the gaps that can arise during the summer months.”

Student’s filed into the kitchen for some Hot Lunch Summer meals.

Friday, June 28th, at the Kittery Community Center, there will be another Hot Lunch Summer kickoff, with more nutritious foods and summer activities. For more information on that event, please get in touch with Wendy Collins at wcollins@kitteryschools.com.

SUN Bucks is a federally funded program run by the USDA. For more information on Hot Lunch Summer, please visit the Maine DOE website.

For more information about the SUN Bucks program, including how to apply, visit the Maine DHHS website.

Child Nutrition Programs Continue to Feed Children Beyond School Year with the Hot Lunch Summer Food Service Program and SUN Bucks

With the assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Maine public schools have long offered a nutritious breakfast and lunch meal program to thousands of children in Maine during the school year. In Maine, students have access to meals during the school day at no cost to them or their families. With summer around the corner, students can still access the meals they need through the Summer Food Service Program. This U.S. Department of Agriculture program operates at hundreds of sites across Maine.  

To find nearby summer meal sites, please visit Hot Lunch Summer | Department of Education (maine.gov), or text “Summer Meals” to (914) 342-7744.  Information will be available mid-June.  

“Hot Lunch Summer and SUN Bucks ensure that Maine children can continue to access the healthy and nutritious meals they rely on during the school year,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “No child should worry about going hungry when the school year ends, and we thank the schools and organizations that have stepped up to make the distribution of these meals possible.”

Hot Lunch Summer, Maine’s Summer Food Service Program is offered statewide in areas or at sites where more than 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced meal benefits under the National School Lunch Program or where census track data supports the need. Free meals are provided to children 18 and younger at open meal sites. Eligible sponsoring organizations include schools, nonprofit residential summer camps, government agencies, and tax-exempt organizations including faith-based organizations. This year, rural meal sponsors may offer free meals to go to further assist in reaching children who are unable to access congregate meal programs.  

Maine also launched SUN Bucks this summer, which provides families $120.00 for each eligible school aged child to buy groceries when school is out in the summer.  Most families will receive this money at the end of June, but some later in the summer months. Families that did not receive the first benefit may submit an application after June 1, 2024, at https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/applications-forms. 

To find nearby Summer Meal sites, please visit Hot Lunch Summer | Department of Education (maine.gov), or text “Summer Meals” to (914) 342-7744.  Information will be available mid-June.  

For more information about the Maine DOE’s Summer Food Service Program, contact kaitlin.fayle@maine.gov, call 592-4198 or visit https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/nutrition/programs/sfsp. 

### 

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: 

(1)       mail: 

            U.S. Department of Agriculture
            Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
            1400 Independence Avenue, SW
            Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 

(2)       fax: 

            (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 

(3)       email:
            program.intake@usda.gov 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. 

The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national origin. 

Complaints of discrimination must be filed at the office of the Maine Human Rights Commission, 51 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0051. If you wish to file a discrimination complaint electronically, visit the Human Rights Commission website at https://www.maine.gov/mhrc/file/instructions and complete an intake questionnaire. Maine is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

 

100 Child and Adult Care Food Program Sponsors and Providers Attend Maine DOE Annual Training

The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Child and Adult Care Food Program team recently hosted 100 of Maine’s child and adult care sponsors and providers for the CACFP Annual Training. The Child and Adult Care Food Program, a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture administered by participating states, provides reimbursements for meals and snacks to eligible children and adults enrolled in care at participating child care centers, in-home daycares, and adult daycare centers.

The focus for one day of training was geared towards food program staff to learn about food safety, efficiency in the kitchen, and standardized recipes, as well as how they can incorporate the Harvest of the Month and Maine Fish Programs into the meals they are feeding the children in their care.

The other training day focused on providers who handle the administration side of CACFP. The CACFP team reviewed the budget tool, agreement errors, and the integrity rule. Participants broke up into 16 groups to discuss topics that affected them. Several reported ideas to the entire group. The CACFP team collected all topics and ideas for further discussion on how to improve things for CACFP sponsors.

The Maine Department of Education’s Child Nutrition team hosts various in-person training opportunities, including culinary and food safety training for school nutrition professionals at its Augusta-based Culinary Classroom, along with other various training opportunities located in different regions throughout the state; the team also records training videos and provides recipes that are accessible as needed via their website. For more information, reach out to the Maine DOE Child Nutrition Team.

 

 

RSU 75 School Team Crowned the 2024 Maine DOE Farm to School Cook-off Champion

(Pictured: Wayne Napples and Jazmyne Peeples from RSU 75)

On May 7th, three school teams squared off at Central Maine Community College in Auburn for the Maine Department of Education (DOE) 2024 Farm to School Cook-off.

Teams representing RSU 75, Lewiston Public Schools and Auburn Public Schools, and consisting of one school nutrition employee and one student, sharpened their knives and skills for a fun day of cooking. They whipped up vegetarian and meat-based dishes using local tofu donated from Heiwa Tofu in Rockport and local chicken donated from Maine Family Farms in Portland; both of which were challenge ingredients for the competition. The dishes were scored based on presentation, taste, creative use of challenge ingredients, and feasibility to be used in a school kitchen.

The first course was a vegetarian meal highlighting tofu. Brittany Cote and Simon Bolduc from Auburn Public Schools came prepared making a delicious tofu parmesan meal made with Maine Marinara Sauce, which was a fun twist on the popular comfort food. Alicia Smith and her son Jesse Smith from Lewiston Public Schools made a tofu ramen bowl, using meatballs made with tofu and a kick of spice, and whole grain noodles for the pasta. Wayne Napples and Jazmyne Peeples from RSU 75 made a BBQ lime tofu kabob that was vibrantly colored with vegetables that resemble summer is right around the corner.

Alicia Smith and her son Jesse Smith from Lewiston Public Schools
Brittany Cote from Auburn Public Schools
Jesse Smith from Lewiston Public Schools
Wayne Napples and Jazmyne Peeples from RSU 75

Next, came the meat-based meal for round two of the competition. RSU 75 and Lewiston both came prepared making hot honey chicken sandwiches; each with their own unique style; one with a whole grain pretzel bun and the other with a whole grain croissant. Auburn created a chicken shawarma on a toasted whole grain flatbread, marinated chicken that brought aromatic spices across the kitchen and tzatziki sauce.

The RSU 75 team, who was new to the competition this year, ended up walking away with the grand prize, and meat-based meal winner. Lewiston walked away as the vegetarian meal winner. A great day was had by all, and the teams showed great creativity, execution of ingredients, and teamwork throughout the entire competition.

Guest judges were: Carrie Clark, a chef judge from Norimoto Bakery in Portland; Ellen Dore, the School Nutrition Director for RSU 16; and Georgia Knowles this year’s student judge, she is a 7th grader at King Middle School in Portland. 

Lewiston Team holding their award as the vegetarian meal winners.
Team RSU 75 won round two for meat-based meal, here they are holding their award.
All of the teams pose for a group picture after the competition.
The Teams pose with the judges after the competition.

The Maine DOE Child Nutrition Team is always looking for new teams to participate in the cook-off! For more information and to learn more about Maine’s Farm & Sea to School Program, visit the Maine DOE website or reach out to the Maine DOE Child Nutrition Team.

A Day in the Life of a School Nutrition Worker

(Jannet Harjula and Nancy Duguay serve lunch to St. George Municipal School kindergarten Students.)

Jannet Harjula started her education journey as the owner of a local daycare more than 30 years ago. Like so many educators, Harjula found herself drawn back to education after selling her business. She started substitute teaching at St. George School. It wasn’t long before she transitioned to school nutrition, where she has been since 2014, first as a food service assistant and now as the food service director.

Harjula starts her day bright and early at 6:30 in the morning with her right-hand woman, Food Service Assistant Nancy Duguay. Harjula jokes while carefully layering sausage on a sheet pan in preparation for lunch and breakfast sandwiches. Duguay and her counterpart, Dawn Gauthier, worked for Harjula at her former business. “We come in at 6:30 every morning. Nancy starts breakfast, and I start prepping for lunch. Dawn comes in after breakfast,” says Harjula.

The St. George kitchen sits behind the cafeteria, adjacent to the school gymnasium and music room. In the first hours of the morning, the sun filters through the cafeteria windows, illuminating a mural of animated fruits and vegetables dancing up the walls and a certificate of excellence celebrating Harjula and her team’s perfect score on their recent state inspection.

A woman in a hair net and apron scoops kicks cereal into a white bowl.
Duguay serving students cereal during breakfast.

Students start arriving around 7:30, giving Duguay about an hour to set everything up. Breakfast prep starts with washing fruit; today, it’s apples. Duguay runs hot water into an empty silver sink, so clean she can see her reflection as she washes each apple and places them carefully into a giant metal colander.

After filling her cart with orange juice, granola bars, and milk, Duguay heads to the cafeteria to meet the morning’s first students. “We have the best kids,” she beams as she greets each child by name and asks them about their weekend.

After breakfast, everyone pitches in to keep the dishes down and the kitchen clean. Gauthier arrives just as the last breakfast bowls are packed away. As the students start their day, data from their “crew” or homeroom teachers starts pouring into a shared spreadsheet created by St. George Technology Director Paul Meinersmann. “Before Paul, we had to do this all on paper,” said Harjula. “Someone had to bring the information down to us, or we had to go get it.”

With this data, Harjula and her crew know how much each lunch option needs to be made. “Every day, we [also] offer students a sandwich or salad, so they don’t just have to choose the hot lunch option,” she says.

At this point, the kitchen is a perfectly choreographed routine. Harjula starts putting together the breakfast sandwiches she made for today’s lunch in shiny tinfoil. To her right, Gauthier masterfully constructs sandwiches, layering ingredients while Duguay chops vegetables and portions each chef’s salads. As the women move around each other with the grace of familiarity, it is so much like watching a dance that one almost misses all that is being done. They make nearly 200 meals, keep every counter spotless, and never forget to wear the right gloves or wash their hands.

Between prepping for lunch, Harjula lays out the ins and outs of her job. “You have to keep things balanced,” she says about planning nutritious meals. “For some of these kids, this is the most nutritious food they eat. A lot of them aren’t getting healthy foods at home.” Harjula goes on to explain how she and Duguay sit down each month to plan meals, brainstorming on how to use the ingredients they already have in stock to build nutritious “colorful” meals.

Maine was one of the first states to provide universal meals to all students. This ensures that every child has access to nutritious food without stigma and so that they are prepared to learn and thrive in school.

It is thanks to school nutrition workers like Harjula and Duguay that Maine has the second most nutritious school meals in the country, according to ProCare Therapy. However, when it comes to the student’s preferences nutrition isn’t always their priority. “Pizza days are our most popular,” Harjula jokes with Duguay, who laughs and says, “We always have to make extra.” Most students don’t even know that Harjula makes sure their donuts are whole grain or that their pizza sauce is full of healthy vegetables.

From 10:30 – 1:00, Harjula and Duguay serve lunch to students from Pre-K all the way up to eighth grade. No matter their age, the students light up when they talk to Harjula.  “The kids respect her, and you see that when they’re in line or putting their trays away, saying thank you all the time,” said Ashley Gill, St. George’s athletic director, as well as physical education and health teacher. “She’s very good to me and to a lot of people [at St. George].”  St George students are just as excited to sing Harjula’s praises. “Jannet’s really sweet and funny,” said fifth grader Elena. Her friend Lilly chimes in, commenting, “she makes great food.”

In between each lunch, Harjula resets the dishes, Duguay cleans the cafeteria, and Gauthier takes care of the trash, recycling, and compost. In the blink of an eye, four sets of lunches have been served, every table and chair wiped down and stacked away, and, of course, Harjula’s kitchen is still spotless.

A blue background with yellow school house rock font that says School Lunch Hero
School Lunch Hero Day is organized by The School Nutrition Association.

With every student fed, Harjula can sit down for the first time in eight hours. The three nutrition workers sit together in the cafeteria to finish up the day’s paperwork. “We have to do a production report, which is what this is,” Duguay gestures to a sheet in front of her. “So we have to keep track of everything that we serve, how much we make, how much we have left, and how much we actually serve.” The team has been putting data into the system Meinersmann created throughout the day. Now, Duguay will use that data for her production report which Gauthier will use to create a daily summary report. Around 2:30, the day is done for everyone except Gauthier, who is the middle school softball coach, though Harjula and Duguay will often stay to finish work like meal prepping or large food orders. Talking about a day in the life of a food service director, Harjula keeps it concise: “It’s long, but we’ve got such great kids.”

May 3th, 2024 is School Lunch Hero Day! Make sure to celebrate the School Nutrition Workers in your school for the hard work they put in to ensure that every Maine student has nutritious, reliable meals at school. Click here for ideas on how you can show your appreciation!

Maine Students Enjoy ‘Take ME to Work Day’ at the State House During School Vacation

State employees, including the Maine Department of Education (DOE), recently participated in the annual Take ME to Work Day by hosting their children and/or children they know for the day at the Maine Capitol Complex and at state-operated locations across Maine.

The day offered a chance for state employees to give their kids the opportunity to learn more about what they do for the people of Maine and see first-hand the inner workings and importance of our government.

Take ME to Work Day started with tours of the Maine State House, followed by a visit from Governor Janet Mills in the Hall of Flags. She greeted the kids and employees and delivered a message about the meaningful and fulfilling work of state government and its many employees.

Maine DOE’s Laura Cyr providing a tour.
Maine DOE’s Laura Cyr providing a tour.
Students in the Capitol dome.
Governor Mills addressing students and employees in the Hall of Flags.

While the state had many other activities for kids participating in Take ME to Work Day, the Maine DOE once again took the opportunity to provide a jam-packed day full of fun experiences and learning opportunities for Maine DOE employees and their kids.

Following the State House tour, a mock legislative hearing was held with the help of Laura Cyr, a member of Maine DOE’s Legislative Team. Cyr explained to students about the Legislative Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and the types of bills they oversee. Then, students volunteered to pretend to be senators and representatives on the committee and hear about a mock bill: An Act to Improve Education by Lowering the Driving Age (to 10 years old). After introducing the hypothetical bill, each student got the chance to speak about the bill, either in favor, against, or neither for nor against the bill.

Laura Cyr leading students in a mock legislative hearing.
Laura Cyr leading students in a mock legislative hearing.
Students in the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee room at Maine’s Capitol Complex.

Students brought up many important points, including that it would be convenient to be able to drive themselves to school if they missed the bus, that anyone young or old who has a driver’s license should have to take driving classes, and that kids are probably not ready to be driving at age ten. They also discussed the potential parking kerfuffle that would take place at school if, suddenly, everyone younger than ten years old was driving to school. Ultimately, the kids decided that the bill would need many changes if it were to proceed.

Following the mock hearing, students and adults got the opportunity to ride a Thomas Electric Bus from C.W. Cressy & Son. On the ride, which took everyone across Augusta’s Memorial Bridge to more State of Maine office buildings, students enjoyed the quiet bus ride and talked about the fact that there is no traditional engine when you open the hood. The group also learned that charging an electric bus takes about 3 hours and will ride for 150 miles on that charge.

posing in front of the Thomas Electric Bus.
Riding on the Thomas Electric Bus.

Over across the bridge, the group’s destination was a visit with Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition Team to see the culinary classroom and participate in a make-your-own-pizza lunch. Led by Chef Michele Bisbee and her daughter, students learned about the different learning opportunities afforded to school nutrition staff across Maine, both in-person and remote, through the culinary classroom. They also washed up and made their own pizzas. While the group waited for lunch to cook, Chef Bisbee quizzed them on the different food groups and discussed the intricacies of serving nutritional food in Maine schools. Bisbee ended the discussion by asking kids to thank the school nutrition staff at their school next week when school is back in session.

Chef Bisbee helping students with a make-your-own-pizza lunch.
Chef Bisbee helping students with a make-your-own-pizza lunch.

After lunch, the group rode the electric bus back to the Capitol Complex and joined the Maine DOE Learning Through Technology Team’s  Jon Graham to learn about and have hands-on fun with computer devices as part of Maine DOE’s Maine Teaches Computer Science (CS) initiative.

Following a brief overview and history of the Maine Learning Through Technology Initiative (MLTI), Graham showed kids all of the older and newer MLTI devices and showcased some of the computer science tools available to Maine schools through Maine DOE-administered grants and opportunities, such as Sphero BOLTs, Sphero Indi Cars, and a Dash robot. These tools allowed students to play around with and try computer coding in real time. Maine leads the nation in offering universal computer science education.

The day was full of fun opportunities, laughs, learning, new friends, and possibly some budding future Maine State employees.

Maine’s Take ME to Work Day occurs annually in the spring; for more information about the program, visit Maine’s Bureau of Human Resources Page.

Ninth Annual Maine Farm to School Cook-off Slated for May 7th

(Pictured: Student Caleb Pratt representing RSU 54 in last year’s cook-off)

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Child Nutrition Program is kicking off its 9th annual Maine Farm to School Cook-off in May. The cook-off aims to showcase the culinary skills of school nutrition professionals and students while promoting locally grown products in school meals. Teams representing schools across Maine, consisting of one student and one school nutrition professional, will compete to be the 2024 Farm to School Cook-off Champion! This year, one competition will be held at Central Maine Community College on May 7, 2024, from 11 am-2 pm. The competition will be live-streamed for those who would like to watch remotely and support the school teams.

Teams of school nutrition professionals and students representing Auburn, Lewiston, and RSU 75 will participate in this year’s event. Each team will prepare two lunch meals (one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian) within a specific time frame using at least three ingredients that are grown, raised, caught, or manufactured in the State of Maine and meet National School Breakfast and Lunch Program requirements as well as one USDA food. Local chicken breast donated by Maine Family Farms in Portland, ME, and local tofu from Heiwa Tofu in Rockport, ME, will be used as “challenge” ingredients in the competition. All recipes will later be shared in a Maine farm-to-school cookbook.

A panel of judges for the cook-off will include a student/student representative, school nutrition director, and professional chef. The dishes will be scored based on presentation, taste, creative use of the challenge ingredients, and feasibility for use in a school kitchen. Other criteria will include teamwork, food safety, and time management.

For more information on Maine’s Farm and Sea to School program, visit https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/nutrition/programs/farmtoschool.

Members of the media are welcome to attend the cook-off but need to confirm prior to the day of the event. For more information and to confirm coverage, contact Marcus Mrowka at marcus.mrowka@maine.gov.

Resources for Celebrating School Lunch Hero Day on May 3

School Nutrition professionals have a lot on their plate, between preparing delicious food, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies, and offering service with a smile. We hope schools across Maine will celebrate School Lunch Hero Day on May 3 to celebrate their hard work and commitment.

This day, the first Friday in May has been celebrated annually since 2013 and was designated by The School Nutrition Association and Jarrett Krosoczka, author of the “Lunch Lady” graphic novel series.  School Lunch Hero Day allows parents, students, school staff, and communities to thank those who provide healthy meals to Maine students daily.

School nutrition employees must balance many roles and follow numerous federal, state, and local regulations to ensure safe and healthy meals are available in schools. School Lunch Hero Day allows the community to thank these hardworking heroes for their dedication to fueling our students’ success.

Here are some fun activities students could do to celebrate their School Lunch Hero:

Find more information about School Lunch Hero Day here.

Maine DOE Child Nutrition Team Hosts School Food Service Staff for Vegan/Vegetarian Culinary Training

Last month, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Child Nutrition team hosted ten School Food Service staff members in their Culinary Classroom in Augusta for vegan/vegetarian culinary training.

Five teams of two prepared eleven dishes from lentil sloppy joes, Asian salad, sweet potato & bean burrito, and tortilla soup to cookie dough hummus. After preparing the dishes, they enjoyed the fruits of their labor and discussed each dish.

Comments included the ease of preparation, how ingredients could be used in other dishes, how appealing the look and flavor of several dishes were, and how some were a good way to use commodity products.

The Maine DOE Child Nutrition team operates the Culinary Classroom to provide culinary and food safety training to School Nutrition Professionals across the entire state of Maine. Along with in-person training, the team also records training videos and recipes that are accessible as needed via their website.

For more information, reach out to the Maine DOE Child Nutrition Team.

Katahdin Schools’ Nutrition Team Receives National Award for Innovation

(Pictured: members of the nutrition team at RSU 89.)

Four school districts in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, and Ohio received awards for their trailblazing and innovative efforts to improve the nutritional quality of meals for their students. This announcement was made in front of nearly 850 school nutrition professionals at the School Nutrition Association Legislative Action Conference during National School Breakfast Week recently.

Regional School Unit 89, Maine’s own Katahdin Schools received the “Innovation in Preparation of School Meals” award for incorporating more scratch cooking into menu items, such as homemade sub rolls using their oatmeal bread recipe, homemade croutons, pickles, and roasted chickpeas.

RSU 89 has also partnered with a local farm, Keep Ridge Farm in Benedicta to source produce like squash, onion, eggs, carrots, and kale. They host monthly taste tests allowing the student body to determine what the next new menu item will be.

“At our annual Thanksgiving meal, we featured Keep Ridge Farm roasted squash, local farmer Steve Crouse’s potatoes that we boiled and mashed, and turkey from USDA Foods in our homemade gravy and homemade stuffing,” said Denise Tapley Proctor, food service director at RSU 89. “The meal was well received by the community, and the reactions of our kids make us love the change in direction our school is making to more scratch cooking.”

The three school districts that received awards are the first winners of the Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards, jointly created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Action for Healthy Kids as part of USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, also known as HMI. These awards celebrate school districts that embrace opportunities to take their school meals to the next level. HMI is one of several ways that the Biden-Harris Administration is supporting schools to provide kids with nutritious meals that support their health and well-being.

Here are more pictures of the RSU 89 nutrition team preparing mashed potatoes from Keep Ridge Farm, homemade oatmeal rolls, USDA hamburger made into hamade gravy, USDA corn, and homemade apple strawberry crisp: