Northwestern Lehigh hears food-service update; vendor says program has returned to profit and RFP required next year

Paul Lasix, regional manager for the Nutrition Group, and the district’s local food‑service director, Evelyn, told the Northwestern Lehigh School Board at a workshop meeting that the district’s food‑service program has shown financial improvement and will require a competitive procurement next year.

The presenters said the program is in the fifth year of a five‑year contract with the Nutrition Group and that state Division of Food and Nutrition requirements will trigger a full request‑for‑proposal (RFP) next year. “We’re on we’re going into year 5 of 5 of our contract,” Paul Lasix said.

The update summarized program activities and student outreach. The Nutrition Group described a new “Nutrition for Life” program for kindergarteners: three days of free lunches and breakfast, classroom lessons on wellness and hands‑on cafeteria instruction designed to teach students how to assemble a reimbursable meal. Lasix said kindergarteners “are able to come into the cafeteria for 3 days” and that sponsors cover the cost to families.

Evelyn described special events and demonstrations the vendor ran this year, including a seafood cookout tied to a classroom trout‑release project and a live sushi‑rolling demonstration that sold about 90 rolls. She said the vendor is piloting a high‑school vending machine for after‑school activities; the machine will not operate during the school day and will not be linked to student lunch accounts. “We did discuss that, and we came up it will have Apple Pay capability as well,” Lasix said.

On finances, presenters said the food‑service fund operates separately from the district general fund and has moved from a multi‑year deficit toward a surplus. Board materials and presenters indicated the program exceeded the Nutrition Group’s guarantee this year and that the vendor’s next‑year guarantee to the district will be $53,000. The presentation also noted the food‑service fund’s earlier inherited deficit of $1,200,000. The district plans to post the RFP and return to the board in spring with a vendor recommendation after the procurement.

District and vendor staff outlined several planned operational changes for next year: expanded middle‑school fruit and vegetable self‑service bars, menu refinements to increase hot breakfast options, additional special‑event programming and continued professional development for kitchen staff led by corporate chefs and dietitians.

Board members and several parents praised the work. A parent who identified herself during public comment said the variety and quality had reduced the need to pack lunches. Board members asked clarifying questions about vending logistics, meal pricing and how the meal program interacts with state rules on “Smart Snacks” and after‑school sales. Presenters said items offered after the last bell are not bound by Smart Snacks requirements but would be limited to healthier wrapped sandwiches, drinks and protein bars.

Presenters and staff said the board will be asked to approve the vendor proposal and next year’s lunch prices at upcoming meetings; no final vendor contract was approved at the workshop.