Driving Participation: Research, Menu Planning and Merchandising
Jody Houston, Director, Corpus Christi ISD Janice King, Director, Auburn School District Robert Lewis, Director of Nutrition Services, El Monte CSD Michelle Sagristano, District Director
July 15, 2014 2:15 PM
Today’s Roundtable Leaders Jody Houston, MBA, SNS Whitney Bateson, RD, SNS Robert Lewis, PhD, SNS Janice King, MS, RD, SNS, CDE
Tami Cline, PhD, RD, SNS (moderator)
Session Objectives Discuss timely topics to drive participation,
including: ◦ Food Trends and Marketing Practices ◦ Competition and Competitive Foods ◦ Brands and Value-Added Programs ◦ Condiments, Soups, and Salad Dressings
Examine trends in kids’ eating habits and food preferences
Share successes stories
Using the handout at your table, take about 5 minutes
to discuss each question.
Select a volunteer to take notes
Jody, Robert, Whitney and Janice will report at the end of the roundtable discussion.
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
A peek at what kids are saying today
How do you feel about eating at each of the following locations?
Where is the opportunity for schools?
Source: Y-Pulse (ypulse.org)
Favorite Venues By Age
How do you feel about eating at each of the following locations?
Source: Y-Pulse (ypulse.org)
Age:
Favorite Foods, Drinks, Snacks
Eating Away From Home- Burgers, steak, sandwiches, pizza Soups Salad bar Flavored milk, juice, iced tea Fruit flavored smoothies Cereal/pretzel snack mixes
Source: Y-Pulse (ypulse.org)
Eating at Home
Source: Y-Pulse (ypulse.org)
A few favorite at home meals
• Chicken/chicken noodle soup • Meatball soup • Toasted cheese sandwich and tomato soup
Home-style/comfort food is a favorite of kids
when eating at home!
Source: Y-Pulse (ypulse.org)
Why Kids Like to Eat At Home
Good food ◦ “Mom is a great cook” ◦ “I know what’s in the food” ◦ “Tastes homemade”
Family gathering ◦ “I like sitting down with my family”
Healthy choices ◦ “It is always fresh”
Source: Y-Pulse (ypulse.org)
Kids’ Dining Trends 2006-2013
• Kids have become more positive about foods from school cafeterias and fast casual restaurants
• Top favorite has moved to home over
sit down restaurants • Their opinions about mall food courts
and convenience stores are less strongly positive
• Their views about chain restaurants
and local neighborhood restaurants continue to be very positive
Source: Y-Pulse (ypulse.org)
Promotions and Merchandising
Source: Y-Pulse (ypulse.org)
Now let’s recap what great ideas we heard at our roundtables…
Over the past 2-3 years, what changes have you seen in student trends in
selecting foods and beverages?
What has been successful in promoting school meals and driving participation?
How can manufacturers assist?
Jody Houston
What would you describe as “best practices”
for enticing students to frequent the school cafeteria
over other competing venues?
Who is the competition and what changes have you seen?
Robert Lewis
How do you use well-recognized brands and value-added programs
to increase student participation and customer satisfaction?
How do you get student opinions?
Can you specify brands on the bids?
Whitney Bateson
How do condiments, soups, salad dressings and other popular
products enhance your school menus?
Tell us about your successes merchandising condiments, salad dressing and soups.
Janice King
Audience Discussion:
How do you measure success in driving participation?
Thank you!
Evaluate this session online.
Visit onthego.schoolnutrition.org on your cell phone’s browser.
Click the “Evaluate Your Sessions” link.
THANK YOU!
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