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Alamo Heights ISD adds higher-protein snack options, posts NutriSlice menu and explains parental purchase limits
Summary
The district added jerky, yogurt, cheese cubes and fruit/veggie cups to campus a la carte lines after advisory feedback. Staff showed a short NutriSlice video explaining how parents can view item nutrition and use SchoolCafé to set purchase restrictions.
District staff told the advisory committee they added several higher-protein and fresh options to campus snack lines after feedback from the February meeting and demonstrated how parents can view nutritional information and set purchase limits.
Staff said Efrain in food services worked with suppliers to add beef jerky, yogurt, cheese cubes, vegetable cups and fruit cups; availability varies by season. The presenter asked Frank how the items were selling; Frank said jerky was an early hit and reported rough daily averages: "we were probably averaging ... 5 to 8 items served per day at each campus" initially, then "dwindled down to about 3 to 4 different items." Frank said yogurt averaged about four per day at each campus, fruit and veggie cups averaged about one to two per day, and cheese items two to three per day; jerky sales had tapered in the last month.
The committee watched a short district video that instructs families where to find snack menus and nutrition details. The video copy shown to the committee said in part: "Our El Alamo Heights ISD cafeteria at Cambridge Woods Ridge and the Junior School offer a variety of smart snacks available to students as a la carte purchases. These snacks meet nutritional standards and include baked, reduced fat, and protein based options. Visit the NutriSlice website for your school cafeteria to learn more about the snack offerings..." The presenter provided URLs shown in the video: ahisd.nutrislice.com for menus and schoolcafe.com/alamoheightsisd for setting purchase restrictions.
Staff explained that parents who want to limit purchases must log into their SchoolCafé account and use the "purchase restrictions" feature to set days and frequency for smart-snack purchases. The presenter also reminded parents to work with school nurses to document allergies so cafeteria staff are informed.
A committee member asked whether PTOs might help with lunch-monitoring tasks; staff said principals are considering options but have not made decisions. The presenter said the district will distribute the video through Monday mail and to principals, and asked committee members whether to also post it at the start of the school year.
