Upper Dublin food services awarded USDA grants to expand local and global menu offerings

The Upper Dublin School District's food service team described two awarded nutrition grants to the Finance Committee on Oct. 15 and asked the committee to accept them.

Kristen (food services) said the district received a $6,000 PA Harvest of the Month mini‑grant (structured as approximately $1,000 per participating site) to create monthly culinary trainings, lesson plans and small wares so staff across schools can prepare Pennsylvania‑grown produce at peak season. The program includes training for food‑service staff, taste‑testing protocols for students and materials to support scratch cooking in multiple kitchens.

Kristen said staff also participated in USDA‑linked culinary training academy sessions that focused on global flavors and train‑the‑trainer instruction. The district intends to weave global items learned during training into menus and to procure local herbs and produce when feasible; Kristen noted the district has previously worked with Common Market to source local items and that staff recently added scallions and cilantro to support a student 'build‑your‑own banh mi' bar.

Committee members praised the work and asked how taste tests are run; Kristen said elementary taste testing uses a simple marker method (Bingo Daubers) to record student responses, middle schools use ballots and high schools use QR surveys to collect feedback. The committee agreed to accept the grants and move them forward for formal approval.