Offering students tasty, healthy foods that they will purchase

Contact:
Eric MacNeill, Chef Instructor
Dover Bay Secondary – Nanaimo Ladysmith SD #68

Process:
Eric believes in the intent of the Guidelines, he points out that healthy eating is not the sole responsibility of schools. The whole school needs to be on board and family and community need to be involved too.

People involved:
All members of the school community

Key changes or results:
Even before the Guidelines were introduced, Eric was making healthier choices available in the school cafeteria.  Powdered soup stock was eliminated long ago because of its high sodium content. All soups are made from scratch, which produces both a highly flavoured product, and a learning opportunity for students. Trans fats were eliminated from the short order bar about three years ago and the salad bar introduced six to seven years ago is a roaring success. The supplier still can’t get over how much lettuce the school goes through on a weekly basis - two cases of romaine, one case of iceberg and one case of leafy greens.  Four students a day work “the bar” making salads to order that sell for three dollars each (including a tortilla if desired). The croutons are home made, and though salad dressings are not, Eric is always searching for healthier alternatives. A display cooler was installed so items such as fruit salads/plates and chef’s salads can be prepared in advance, as the demand for salads made to order can’t be met.  The salad bar line-up is double or triple that of the short order counter.  Who says students won’t eat healthy food?

Challenges:
Eric admits he was skeptical when the Guidelines first arrived on the scene, but has since had a change of heart.  He sees that the shift to offering healthy choices throughout the school supports the efforts of Chef Instructors to encourage healthy eating.  Cafeteria sales are up overall, though he generally sees a drop when the weather is good.  Is it the nearby fast food joints, or the rare appearance of the sun on the “wet” coast in the winter that draws students off the grounds?  For anyone who lives on the coast, heading out into the sunshine makes perfect sense.

Keys to success:
Dover Bay enjoys a well equipped commercial kitchen and it is in this environment that Chef Instructor Eric MacNeill is trying to expose students to the equipment and the types of meals they would find in a “better” restaurant, as opposed to the fast food industry. French fries are still sold, but at four dollars for a small tub, sales are down, while healthier choices are priced more attractively.

Next steps:
Eric doesn’t know if the cafeteria menu at Dover Bay meets the Guidelines to the letter, but he is confident he is offering students tasty, healthy food that they are purchasing.