District describes food service expansion, local procurement and mixed wellness-policy score
Summary
Food and Nutrition Services said the district serves nearly 27,000 meals daily, recently increased scratch cooking and local procurement (40% organic produce), and is switching to compostable packaging. A triennial wellness assessment (WellSAT) found 50% comprehensiveness and 13% strength, prompting recommendations to strengthen policy language and site implementation plans.
The Mount Diablo Unified School District presented a comprehensive update on its Food and Nutrition Services program and the districtwellness-policy triennial assessment at the Dec. 10 board meeting.
Alex Emmett, director of Food and Nutrition Services, told trustees the department now "serves almost 27,000 meals every day" and that last year it provided more than 4.5 million meals, a 23% increase since 2022-23. Emmett outlined five departmental goals: transform facilities for more scratch cooking, expand scratch cooking capacity, invest in staff (including more fully benefited positions), increase procurement from local BIPOC-owned and small farms, and reduce waste with compostable packaging.
Emmett said the program receives approximately $20,000,000 annually in meal reimbursement funding (about half federal, half state) and has used state universal-meals funding and grants to invest in serving-line upgrades, central-kitchen equipment, new refrigerated vehicles and staffing. She noted the district has transitioned 100% of meal packaging to compostable products and that about 80% of produce is sourced locally with over 40% organic where feasible.
Angie Vicroy, program manager, presented the districtwellness policy triennial assessment using the WellSAT tool. The review found a total policy comprehensiveness score of 50% and a strength score of 13%, meaning many wellness topics are included in policy but language is often general, inconsistent, or lacks enforceable requirements. Vicroy recommended clarifying responsibilities for school-level implementation, strengthening oversight of fundraisers and competitive food sales, documenting employee-wellness efforts, and aligning policy to strong practices such as the Growing Healthy Kids program.
Board members asked about share tables, use of garden produce in meals and the role of universal meals in program expansion. Emmett said gardens currently supply modest amounts (Rio Vista cited as a larger contributor) and that school garden produce is primarily for education rather than large-scale meal service; however, the district is drafting an SOP with the county health department to govern garden harvest use.
The board received the report and thanked Food and Nutrition Services staff for their work; no formal motion was required for the presentation.
