The Changing Face of School Lunch

We were excited to host the Sioux City Journal at Bishop Heelan Catholic High School during National School Lunch Week to talk about how we’ve helped students have more choice and voice in their school lunch. But even so, tried and true dishes are still a go-to. Nic is right — chili and cinnamon roll day is still as popular as ever! Our team did a great job — check out the story below!

By Earl Horlyk

SIOUX CITY — Remember when your school lunches consisted of a greasy slice of pizza and maybe a vegetable, if you were lucky?

Nowadays, school lunches are more varied, more nutritious and, get this — they actually taste good.

That’s the goal of Nic Lucart, area director for the Dakota Dunes-based Lunchtime Solutions, a school breakfast and lunch contractor for school districts across the Midwest.

“Unlike other food service management companies, our sole clients base is K-12 school districts,” he said. “When we partner with schools, they maintain complete control over their programs. We provide them with top-quality food.”

Which can be challenging since Lunchtime Solutions must strictly adhere to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutritional standards set for school lunches.

These requirements govern students’ caloric intake, curb trans fats and sodium consumption while increasing fresh fruit and veggie options.

Lunchtime Solutions also informs students and parents of foods that might trigger nut allergies, gluten or lactose intolerances as well as a host of other dietary restrictions. 

This is something that Lunchtime Solutions food service director Rachel Kolker takes very seriously.

“For some students, a school lunch may be the only hot meal they’ll have all day,” she said. “We want to make sure that everything we serve is delicious, nutrition and have the comforts of home cooking.”

Kolker won’t be getting any complaints from Kristen Malenosky, director of school nutrition for the Bishop Heelan Catholic School District.

“Heelan High School has been with Lunchtime Solutions for more than 20 years,” she explained. “The other schools in the diocese have also been Lunchtime Solutions clients for many years.”

While students in the younger grades have a limited number of lunchtime options, high school kids have a much greater range.

On a recent Thursday, Heelan high schoolers had the choice of a made-fresh plate of spaghetti and breadstick, a cheeseburger, a crispy chicken sandwich, a fresh-baked ham and cheese sub, a hot vegetable side as well as an all-you-can-eat fruit and veggie bar.

“The nice thing is that we give everybody plenty of options,” Kolker said. “We have something to please every appetite.”

“If there’s something that someone doesn’t like, we’ll hear about it,” Malenosky noted with a smile. “Elementary schoolers, especially, aren’t known for holding back.”

It’s also true that parents can also have a say in what is being served. Periodically, Lunchtime Solutions will call in a panel of parental taste-testers to critique both their service and food quality.

So, what are the most popular school lunch entree items?

“Mac and cheese day is always huge,” Kolker said. “I cannot tell you how much mac and cheese we go through.”

“For me, chicken nuggets are always a favorite,” Lucart said. “Between the nuggs and popcorn chicken, it’s hard to pick a favorite.”

Despite all of the more recent innovations, some of the time-tested recipes will never be replaced.

“There is no better aroma than a lunchroom on chili and cinnamon roll day,” Lucart continued. “That will never change.”