Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Meals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Office of Food and Nutrition Services outlines menus, halal/kosher offerings and accommodations for District 28 schools
Summary
At a March 5 CEC District 28 meeting, OFNS presented citywide meal program data, described menu choices and accommodations for dietary and religious needs, and responded to council questions about Lent, Ramadan and hot meals for after‑school programs.
Aaron Baptista, identified himself as the District 28 supervisor for the New York City Office of Food and Nutrition Services, told the council March 5 that OFNS operates student‑driven menus with 35 menu cycles and roughly 470 recipes citywide, serving an estimated 950,000 students and more than 900,000 meals daily.
Baptista said the program uses student taste‑tests at headquarters to evaluate potential menu additions and noted examples of student‑created items. He described meal components required by the USDA National School Lunch and Breakfast programs and said students are required to take at least three of five components. OFNS highlighted plant‑forward options (formerly a mayoral initiative moved to a new weekday), a Meatless Monday, fresh salad bars and efforts to source local produce.
On accommodations, Baptista said school nurses can request product labels and that alternative milks (soy, lactose‑free) can be provided without a 504 or IEP; schools must still make 1% and fat‑free milk available when chocolate milk is offered. He said District 28 has 18 halal sites (the largest number in the city) and two kosher meal distributors that service schools citywide.
Council members asked whether menus account for Ramadan and Lent. Lucia Solis, regional director who joined Baptista, said the annual menu is planned in advance and the committee had missed specific fish options for Lent this year; OFNS is arranging immediate accommodations where possible (grilled cheese, tuna and ordering fish for future menus) and committed to address menu choices in future planning cycles.
Parents raised concerns that some after‑school programs and holiday camps lack consistent hot meals. OFNS replied that hot after‑school meals are available but programs must apply through special program channels to qualify (supper/snack programs), and staff offered to guide school administrators through the application process.
OFNS representatives also described the Cafeteria Enhancement program (250+ cafeterias renovated citywide to make dining spaces more welcoming) and a Nutrition Collaborative that awarded $10,000 grants and currently supports about 250 sites for food‑education projects.
The council and audience were provided a nutrition‑information link in the chat and were invited to register schools for taste‑testing and to contact Baptista and his team with accommodation or program questions.
