FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9’s school nutrition program now serves nearly 3,000 meals each school day, a large-scale operation that faces growing challenges from rising food costs, staffing shortages and evolving federal nutrition standards.
Chef Andy Hutchins, the district’s food service director, spoke May 12 about the nutrition program during the RSU 9 board of directors meeting at the Forum on the Mt. Blue Campus.
Presentation materials shared with the board described a districtwide operation that prepares daily breakfasts, lunches, fresh fruit and vegetable snacks, after-school meals and specialized dietary accommodations for students throughout the district.
The nutrition department prepares nearly 890 fresh fruit or vegetable snacks each day and approximately 250 after-school meals. The district also provides meal accommodations for about 130 students with dietary restrictions.
Hutchins said the district currently serves about 1,060 breakfasts, 1,672 lunches and 250 after-school meals on a typical school day, totaling 2,982 meals daily.
Hutchins outlined several operational measurements used by the department, including cost per meal, meals per worker, labor hours and food cost percentage. The metrics help monitor staffing, productivity and menu management while maintaining financial stability.
Hutchins said some of the biggest ongoing challenges include equipment repairs, staffing shortages, rising food and supply costs and uncertainty surrounding future federal nutrition regulations.
“With the recent rise in oil prices we are beginning to see it show in the pricing of the food and supplies we purchase,” Hutchins said. “Everything we use is shipped by truck to some extent and the increase in diesel fuel makes the cost of everything rise.”
He said RSU 9’s emphasis on scratch cooking helps the district meet nutritional goals while adapting to changing federal standards.
“In RSU 9 we do a great deal of scratch cooking which helps us to achieve the desired nutritional outcomes but it does take more staff hours, more equipment, additional production space,” Hutchins said.
Hutchins also described efforts to introduce students to healthier and less familiar foods, including sushi rolls prepared with seasoned tofu, avocado, carrots and cucumbers. The presentation noted many students tried sushi for the first time during the event.
“Overall students are very receptive to trying new things, especially if they don’t have to commit to it being their entire lunch,” Hutchins said.
At the elementary level, Hutchins said students were able to sample sushi after receiving their regular lunch, while middle and high school students could first try samples before deciding whether to order a full portion.
“It’s a good way to get them to try something new without a risk if they don’t like it,” Hutchins said.
Hutchins said the district regularly incorporates Maine products and locally sourced foods when financially feasible, including potatoes from McCain Foods in Easton, wild Maine blueberries from Wyman’s, apples from Berry Fruit Farms in Livermore, yogurt from The Milkhouse in Monmouth and beef from Black Acres Farm in Wilton.
“We try to do as much local purchasing as is financially feasible,” Hutchins said.
He said distribution logistics can make local sourcing difficult for a districtwide operation that receives between 12 and 15 food and supply deliveries each week.
Hutchins also noted that school nutrition programs operate under extensive federal and state oversight, including nutritional requirements, inventory tracking and purchasing regulations.
“Everything gets counted,” Hutchins said. “We are required to keep very detailed records of how many portions of every menu item we produce and serve.”