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Sodexo tells Fountain Hills board it has already removed most artificial food dyes; district participation and menu tracking highlighted
Summary
Sodexo told the Fountain Hills Unified School board that breakfast and lunch menus are already about 99% free of artificial dyes, that the company will absorb near-term cost changes tied to ingredient swaps, and that the district can track nutrition and participation through PremierEdge software. Participation counts were shared for each school.
Sodexo representatives briefed the Fountain Hills Unified School board on changes that could affect school meals and on steps the company is taking to meet new federal and state nutrition guidance. The presentation covered removal of artificial food dyes, the Smart Snacks program, menu-audit software and efforts to boost student participation in cafeterias.
The company’s representative said Sodexo’s breakfast and lunch items “were already about 99 plus percent free of any additives as far as the dyes go,” and that the supplier network is moving to natural-color formulations. He told the board that, where manufacturers change products to meet new rules, Sodexo expects to substitute compliant items or see vendors update recipes.
Why it matters: the changes come as federal and state nutrition rules evolve; districts must show compliance during periodic audits. The board heard that Fountain Hills’ food services passed a recent state audit and that the district can generate compliance reports because Sodexo uses PremierEdge menu-management software.
Sodexo also described student-facing menu and outreach steps — including themed monthly events and a salad bar the company runs at school cafeterias to increase variety and nutrition. The presenter said the company would absorb near-term price differences tied to removing dyes; if the Smart Snacks (vending/snack) program needs price adjustments, those would be communicated to the district.
The company provided participation figures the board asked for: elementary lunches about 150–160 meals per day, middle school about 120, and high school roughly 100–110; the representative said those counts typically rise as the school year progresses. He described efforts to increase participation (newsletters, on-site promotions and a marketer assigned to the district) and said some menu items are adjusted based on student feedback.
Board members asked whether dye-related changes would raise costs and whether students actually eat fresh fruit and salad options. Sodexo replied that, to date, the company expects to absorb ingredient-cost differences and that fresh fruit and salad options have been well accepted, with staff requiring students to take a fruit or salad to complete some meals.
The presenter identified Ellen Hovley, Sodexo’s West Region nutritionist, as the company liaison for state and federal compliance questions and said his regional manager, Richard Kerr, will visit next week to meet district staff. He invited board members to visit school cafeterias and special events.
The board welcomed the update and several members thanked Sodexo for its event work and the district’s salad/fruit offerings. The presentation ended with an offer to share menus and packet materials with the board.
