Student nutrition staff highlight free meals, summer and after-school programs

Brian Aubin, director of student nutrition services, presented a video and summary of Galena Park ISD meal programs on Oct. 6, outlining daily school meals, after-school and summer feeding programs, nutrition initiatives and staff training.

Aubin said the district runs National School Breakfast and Lunch Program meals daily and also operates Child and Adult Care Food Program sites for parents who use district daycare; after-school snack and supper programs serve qualifying students and summer meals support students taking summer courses. He said meals meet CACFP standards and that the district runs a Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to expose students to fruits they may not see at home. Aubin said the district offers free breakfast and lunch to all students and also sells a la carte items.

The presentation included footage of student taste tests and short comments from students about menu items. Aubin said staff conduct taste tests and food shows to gather student feedback and that the department partners with vendors and distributors; Labatt Food Service said it stocks roughly 1,000 SKUs for the district and makes weekly deliveries to about 26 sites.

Aubin described training requirements for nutrition staff (online and in-person trainings, civil-rights and program-specific trainings) and an annual in-service and recognition banquet that honors employee and kitchen achievements. He said the department accommodates special diets and blends or modifies meals per medical documentation and uses robotic arms at a few schools to assist students with disabilities through serving lines.

Trustees thanked the nutrition staff for their work; no board action was required.