Food service representative showcases 'Happy Lucky Plate' and student food focus groups

Mary Anne Presto, representing Organic Life, told the board she is expanding student engagement around school meals with twice‑monthly “Happy Lucky Plate” events, monthly food focus groups and special offerings such as a successful burrito bar at the middle school.

The nut graf: Presto said the Lucky Plate events are intended to build enthusiasm and familiarity with school menus, with nonfood prizes and classroom promotion; the focus groups gather feedback from four to six students per lunch period so the food service can incorporate student‑inspired menu items. Presto said early bookings are already in place for October and that the burrito bar had “gone crazy” in participation.

In the body: Presto described Happy Lucky Plate as occurring every other Wednesday, with menus shared in classrooms and nonedible prizes such as erasers or bookmarks. She said the food focus groups will invite 4–6 students per lunch period to discuss likes and dislikes and that she had six bookings for the first two weeks of October. For middle schools she emphasized flexible offerings—she called the burrito bar “kind of like a Chipotle” and said it performed very well; she plans to run it again with improved flow by splitting a line.

Presto said the program aims to make students feel they have a say in menu choices and that she plans additional monthly activities. The transcript contains no formal board action on food service contracts or budgets in the provided excerpt.

Ending: Presto closed by noting ongoing monthly programming and thanking the board; no procurement or contract actions are recorded in the provided transcript.