Ethnic Foods

1
Ethnic Foods Educationsuccesses shared and
lessons learned

• Highline Seattle Public Schools
• Presented by Brie Smith and Kirsten Frandsen

2
Project Overview

• Goal- offer meals to reflect student diversity
• Launched in September 2005
• Funding sources
• Successes, challenges and lessons learned

3
Why Ethnic Foods?

• Diverse student body
• American diet- increased risk of chronic disease
• NSLP Higher quality diets overall
• Classroom to Cafeteria connection

4
Goals and Objectives

• Goals
• Offer meals to reflect student diversity
• Food and cultural education
• Objectives
• Increase participation in NSLP
• Encourage healthy eating habits
• Promote good will
• Increase student knowledge

5
Cultures

• Ethnic categories represented
• African
• Asian
• South Pacific
• Latino
• Mediterranean

6
Recipes

• Sources
• Recipe Contest
• Restaurants
• Staff Recipes
• Cookbook/Online Recipes
• Cultural Potlucks
• Native Individuals
• Other School Districts

7
Production

• Feasibility
• Recipe testing
• Taste test- students/staff
• Recipe modification
• Retest in large quantities
• Production records

8
Considerations
Labor hours Equipment Transportation Equipment and kitchen type Staff training Cost Nutrient profile Authenticity Working with vendors Communication Ingredient availability Appearance Bid laws Seasonality of produce Menu placement Acceptance- taste

• .

9
Menus

• Vietnamese
• Vietnamese sandwich
• Tropical fruit cup

10
Menus

• Somali
• Somali Spaghetti
• Banana
• Tossed Salad (Italian Dressing)

11
Menus

• African American
• African American Gumbo
• Cornbread
• Yams

12
Menus

• Thai
• Chicken Curry (Phat Prik Gai)
• Brown Rice
• Papaya

13
Menus

• Hispanic
• Taco Supreme (tostada)
• Black Beans and Corn Salad
• Spanish Rice
• Watermelon

14
Menus

• Filipino
• Egg Roll (Lumpia)
• Pancit Noodles
• Filipino Fruit Salad

15
Menus

• South Pacific
• Luau Chicken
• Coconut Rice
• Cucumber Slices
• Baby Banana

16
Menus

• Chinese
• Mu Shu Chicken/Beef
• Mandarin Oranges

17
Menus

• Mediterranean
• Beef Gyros
• Hummus
• Mediterranean Salad Tzatziki
• Grapes

18
Project Costs

• Promotional materials
• 3.00/school
• Food for recipe
• 200/culture
• Labor costs
• 80 hours/culture.

19
Meal Costs (food)
Too much
Just right
Meal Seattle Highline
Vietnamese 1.00 0.92
Somali 0.72 0.90
Thai 0.94 0.96
AA 0.88 0.91
Filipino 1.19 1.52
Hispanic 0.71 0.81
South Pacific 0.98 1.04
Chinese 0.92 0.96
Mediterranean 1.02 1.09
Could do more
20
Timeline

• Considerations
• Recipe development
• Training
• Ordering
• Communication
• Anticipate problems!

21
Marketing Promotions

• Promotions
• Manager Initiated
• Ethnic Food Buffet with Board
• Seattle Staff Café
• School Board Meals
• Monthly teacher/staff emails
• Posters

22
Educational Materials

• Menu backs
• Supplemental activity sheets
• Lesson plans
• Portion Sizes-Laos
• 5 a day-Rainbow of colors-Cambodia
• Eating together as a family-Philippines

23
Media Attention

• Strong interest
• TV stations
• Highline Times
• Seattle Post Intelligencer
• KUOW/NPR

24
Feedback

• Kitchen Managers
• Vietnamese Meal
• Well accepted, easy to make,
• strong smell!
• Somali Spaghetti
• Familiar to students, similar labor as
• spaghetti
• Thai Meal
• Too spicy, kids didnt like it, but easy to make

25
Feedback

• Teachers/Staff
• Utilized menu back information
• Stated value
• Students
• Mixed responses by school/grade
• Authenticity?

26
Lessons Learned

• Communication is very important
• Realistic timeline
• Promotions increased excitement
• Need more taste tests

27
Barriers Challenges

• Time consuming
• Recipe development testing
• Staff training
• Marketing and education
• Working with local vendors
• Food allergies
• Produce considerations
• Staff perception participation
• Keep authenticity with common thread

28
Outcomes/Successes

• Increased visibility
• Can fit within budget
• Generated good will
• Increases in lunch participation?
• Scratch cooking vs. heat serve
• Supports 2005 Dietary Guidelines
• Introduced exposed students to other cultures
  through food!

29
Acknowledgments

• Seattle and Highline School District Staff
• -Chris Neal- NS Director, Highline Public
  Schools
• -Anita Finch- NS Director, Seattle Public
  Schools
• -Wendy Weyer- Dietitian, Seattle Public Schools
• -Production Kitchen Mangers- BJ Weisberg, Jan
  Anderson, Kathye Slagg, Betty Heyden Pam Chabot
• Student volunteers from the University of
  Washington and Bastyr University

30
Contact Us

• Kirsten Frandsen
• Nutrition Coordinator-STEPS to Health King County
  (Seattle, Highline and Tukwila School Districts)
• kifrandsen_at_seattleschools.org
• 206-252-0686
• Brianna Smith, RD
• Nutrition Services Manager
• smithbm_at_hsd401.org
• 206-433-2209