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Azucena Rubio’s children often expressed dissatisfaction with the meals provided at their Jeffco schools.
Her daughter in elementary school complained that the food was cold, sometimes frozen, and lacked flavor, frequently choosing to skip lunch. Her 16-year-old son would leave campus to buy snacks from a local gas station for lunch, often returning late to class.
Upon learning that the district was collaborating with parents to enhance school meals, Rubio decided to get involved.
Over the past two years, a group of over 24 parents and district staff worked together to brainstorm new meal ideas that would be healthier and more culturally responsive for the predominantly Latino population in Jeffco’s Edgewater schools near Denver.
This fall, the district introduced 15 new recipes at three Edgewater schools, some of which were submitted by parents. Rubio, for example, contributed recipes for enchiladas and fried rice, sourced from a nutrition book she uses in her health class.
Other new recipes include a chicken fajita bowl, pork carnitas tacos, and chicken and cheese quesadillas.
While the initial taste test of the recipes was positive, Rubio’s children have reported inconsistent quality in the meals served at schools.
“I see they are trying, it’s progressing, slowly, but it is,” Rubio commented, noting an improvement in her son’s lunch habits.
After receiving 27 recipe submissions from parents, the district selected the top 15. They had to assess which recipes could be scaled up for mass production, adjusted to meet federal nutritional guidelines, and prepared using available kitchen equipment and ingredients.
“It’s important to care for the health of our kids,” Rubio emphasized. “If the food is all frozen and processed and not healthy, it can harm the health of our kids.”
Challenges in Implementation
District officials aimed not only to address community feedback but also to increase the use of speed scratch cooking – a simplified form of cooking from scratch with fresh ingredients – in school meals.
However, several challenges emerged during the planning and testing phases of the new meal program.
Communication issues between families and the district led to the hiring of a facilitator to enhance trust and collaboration. Some families felt their concerns were not being heard, while school nutrition officials were concerned about families’ understanding of operational guidelines.
Logistical challenges also surfaced, such as serving the chicken bowl with ingredients separate for allergy considerations, which confused younger children.
Cost considerations, including additional lunch staff and kitchen space limitations, further complicated the expansion of the program.
Superintendent Tracy Dorland acknowledged the need for a large central kitchen to support scratch cooking for all schools but highlighted the associated costs.
Board members questioned the sustainability and scalability of the program, emphasizing the importance of culturally sensitive approaches across all schools.
Advocating for Healthier Meals
Meanwhile, in Aurora Public Schools, efforts to incorporate culturally diverse meals have been ongoing since 2015, with a focus on offering multiple meal options to cater to diverse preferences.
Despite challenges during the pandemic, the district is committed to reintroducing popular meal choices, such as pupusas, guacamole, and a school-friendly version of the Starbucks Pink Drink.
Back in Jeffco, parents like Brisneida Barrueta have joined the initiative to improve school meals, recognizing the challenges of providing nutritious meals for their children.
As an immigrant from Venezuela, Barrueta faces difficulties in preparing school lunches due to time constraints and limited food supplies at home. She believes that healthier school meals would alleviate some of these challenges and benefit families in similar situations.
Overall, the efforts to enhance school meals in Jeffco and Aurora reflect a commitment to promoting healthier, culturally diverse options for students.
Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat.org .
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
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