SUNDERLAND — Stephanie Gates believes food at school should be both nutritious and look good. “Kids eat with their eyes,” says Gates, who serves as the Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union (BRSU) Director of Food Services and Top Food Service Professional. “We bring them to the table with presentation and then serve them a meal that’s healthy. Everybody wins.”
Speaking of winning, the BRSU Food Service Team has been recognized with, not one, but two national awards from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Action for Healthy Kids. The school system is one of four honored in Vermont in at least one category. BRSU is also one of only two Vermont districts that received multiple citations.
“Our Food Service Team works so hard to prepare healthy and nutritious meals for our kids,” says BRSU Superintendent Randi Lowe. “But it’s not just what they do, it’s how they do it. They bring attention to detail and enthusiasm to their work every day. Well done Team!”
The first acknowledgment from the USDA Healthy Meals Initiative is a 2024 Recognition Award for Innovation in Preparation of School Meals. To win this citation the BRSU submitted three original recipes prepared from scratch. The mouth-watering offerings include: taco pie with salad topping, teriyaki chicken with confetti fried rice, and berry sheet pan pancake.
“Cooking from scratch allows our staff more control over what we serve our kids,” says Gates. “It guarantees our use of the healthiest food sources and gives our team an opportunity to showcase their skills. To them it’s much more than a job.”
The second accolade for the BRSU Food Team was a 2024 Recognition Award Small and/or Rural Lunch Trailblazer Award. This award was given for reducing sodium in school lunches, menus, and recipes. In earning this honor, the BRSU took advantage of the recent installation of a new software package that allows for easy monitoring of menus.
“We plan our lunch menu in six week increments,” says Gates. “We input ingredients and recipes and get immediate feedback on levels of sodium in our menus. If we see amounts that are unacceptable, we take corrective action.”
The BRSU kitchen staff take simple steps to keep sodium levels under control. Frozen and fresh vegetables come first over any possible use of canned goods. Added herbs and spices, meanwhile, are often a tasty alternative to salt.
“I’m so proud of our kitchen staff,” says Gates. “They take the time to connect with our kids and get feedback on our menus every day. They are always looking for ways to improve our performance to make sure the kids are eating well and learning.”