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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