South St. Paul nutrition staff say menu changes, student input and local partnerships raised meal participation

Dory Pavel, director of nutrition services for South St. Paul Public Schools, told the board on March 25 that the department has combined menu updates, student feedback and community partnerships to increase student participation in school meals.

"Food is what brings us all together," Pavel said, introducing staff and describing their role in daily student interactions and community events. Pavel credited state-funded universal free meals and recent menu changes for higher participation and said, "we can we know that 43% of our students across the board are eating breakfast and about 67.5% of the students are eating lunch. That's about a 10% increase over this time last year." Chair Rausch later noted the district had served about a quarter-million lunches so far this year.

Assistant Director Maggie Schmidt described how the district develops menus and incorporates student voice: a four-week rotating menu grid, routine student sampling during lunch periods, and feedback tallies collected through the superintendent’s student advisory council. "We run a four-week cycle…we rotate it every three times a year," Schmidt said, and staff introduced new items after iterative testing with students.

The presenters cited specific local partnerships and menu innovations that they said helped broaden choices and acceptance. Pavel and Schmidt named Hoyo, a Minneapolis company that employs Somali women to make sambusas, and a local Argentinian empanada maker under consideration for future menus; they also described homemade soups, freshly made breakfast items and a variety of condiments added to secondary schools. "We have kimchi at the high school, which was a new thing that we brought in last year, and that became really popular," Schmidt said.

Pavel and Schmidt also described operational steps that reduced line congestion and increased access, including reconfiguring serving flow at the secondary building to open cashier lines and offering fresh salad bars at elementary schools through a USDA DoD produce program that delivers regional produce. Pavel said those operational adjustments and menu options, along with removing stigma by offering free breakfasts and lunches to all students, contributed to higher participation beyond what the department expected.

Board members asked about staff training and the development of culinary skills. Pavel said the district provides trainings, brings in trainers as needed and invests in equipment (a fruit slicer, for example) to streamline preparation. She emphasized that cultural knowledge among staff played a role in bringing authentic recipes into kitchens: "we have a staff member who said, 'Try this.' It’s part of her culture, and she was able to give us a fantastic idea on how to do these recipes."

The board expressed appreciation for the nutrition team’s work and community support. Chair Rausch and board members thanked staff for their efforts and noted the scale of meals served this school year. The presentation concluded with staff saying they will continue to use student feedback and local partnerships to expand menu offerings.

What happens next: the presentation was for board information; no formal action was taken. The nutrition team will continue periodic updates to the board on participation and program adjustments.