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School nutrition: district served 522,000 breakfasts and 686,000 lunches; RFP for food service management under review
Summary
Kathy Berry told the board the district served more than 522,000 breakfasts and 686,000 lunches this school year at no cost under the Community Eligibility Provision (three years remaining). The department is purchasing equipment and will score three vendor proposals for a food-service management RFP, with a potential contract to start July 1.
Kathy Berry, the district’s school nutrition lead, told the board June 2 that Cleveland City Schools served a little over 522,000 breakfasts and 686,000 lunches this past year—meals provided at no cost under the Community Eligibility Provision, which the district will remain eligible for three more years.
Berry said after-school suppers exceeded 16,000 meals and that the fresh fruit-and-vegetable program continues in elementary schools. Community surveys showed popular items (pizza, chicken nuggets) and also requests for more hot breakfast options and larger portion sizes at the high school level; Berry cited USDA portion guidelines and constraints from labor and cost when discussing scratch-made options.
The nutrition department is spending down some fund balance to buy ice machines at three schools, replace the high school commodity freezer that failed, and purchase new computers for managers’ offices and cafeteria registers. Berry reported that an RFP for the food-service management contract closed with three vendor proposals; staff will open and score proposals imminently and, pending approval, any new contract would begin July 1 for the middle and high schools.
Board members asked whether free meals would continue; Berry confirmed three remaining years of community eligibility barring legislative change. The board thanked nutrition staff for their work on student interaction events and holiday meals.
