‘Heart of the school’: Cedar Rapids nutrition staff accommodate 700 different diets

CEDAR RAPIDS — Hamburgers, mini chicken corn dogs or beef and cheese nachos — each lunch with a choice of fruits, vegetables and milk — these are just a few meals created for students in the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

Each day, the food and nutrition team prepares about 15,000 meals for students. About 700 of these meals are prepared for students with special diets, including sensitivity to foods like lactose, citrus fruit or strawberries.

Other students have more severe dietary restrictions, such as students with celiac disease who can’t eat gluten or students with PKU — or phenylketonuria — who can’t metabolize an amino acid found in meat, milk, fish, cheese, nuts and beans.

Cafeteria managers put a lot of pressure on themselves and take a lot of pride in ensuring every student is served a safe meal at school, said Amanda Foreman, registered dietitian at the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

“We never want to have favorites, but I tell our cafeteria managers to make those kids (with dietary restrictions) their favorite, so you know when you see their little face because you’ve built a relationship with them and they feel comfortable asking questions or raising concerns,” Foreman said.

Foreman was hired as the district’s first registered dietitian in the nutrition program about a decade ago.

When students with food allergies or dietary restrictions go through the lunch line, Foreman said nutrition staff knows to have their meal prepared for them.

“Kids love their lunch staff,” Foreman said. “It’s fun to see kids come through and peek into the kitchen or give the cafeteria staff a hug when they’re returning their trays. The relationships developed there we like to think of as the heart of the school.”

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There are about 220 employees in the food and nutrition department across the district’s 32 schools.

Jenny Hook, Cedar Rapids schools’ food and nutrition manager, said staff in school cafeterias are “on the front lines” caring for children and ensuring they get a meal that’s safe for them.

School meals are created based on strict federal nutrition guidelines and standards. Each meal must include milk, fruits, vegetables, grains and meat or meat alternates.

At the beginning of each school year, younger elementary students especially can feel intimidated by the lunch line. They are learning what their options are and how to ask for what they want, Foreman said.

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Cedar Rapids schools also participate in a food service model called “offer vs. serve,” giving students more choice in what’s put on their plate and reducing food waste. Through this program, students don’t have to take a full meal and can select three meal components at minimum, Foreman said.

Schools are uniquely positioned to provide students the opportunity to learn and practice nutritious eating habits, Foreman said.

“We see frequently kids who maybe wouldn’t try something at home are willing to try something when other kids around them are trying it,” Foreman said.

In addition to following federal nutrition guidelines, schools work hard to create meals that are “kid friendly” with a variety of flavors, colors and textures, Foreman said.

“We know healthy students learn better,” Foreman said. “We see the cafeteria as an extension of the classroom. School meals are just as important to academic success as textbooks.”

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