DC Central Kitchen is just as excited as the students for another delicious and nutritious year! Our Healthy School Food Team will be serving nourishing and delicious scratch-cooked meals using locally sourced ingredients to schoolchildren at 30 public, private and charter schools throughout the city this year.
To get everyone in the school mood, we’ve asked our Healthy School Food team what they liked to eat when they were in school cafeterias, what dish of ours they wish they had, tips to get kids excited about food and what they’re excited about this school year!
Sami Reilly, MS, RDN, LD
Director, Contract Meals and Nutrition
What was your favorite lunch to eat when you were in grade school?
Probably chicken nuggets and tater tots. They were always served every other Monday. I still remember that!
Which DCCK meal do you wish was on your school menu?
The different style chicken drums we serve. It would have been nice to see a variety of flavors represented, like the Buffalo chicken drum.
Do you have any tips to get kids excited to try new food?
Modeling is super important! Students often follow behaviors they see their role models (teachers, parents, older siblings, monitors) do, so modeling healthy eating or trying school lunch is a great way to encourage participation.
What engagement do you look forward to the most during the school year?
I love Strawberry & Salad Greens Day. It always marks the end of the school year and the start of summer, but since it is the first week of June, we get to engage with the students before they are completely checked out at the end of the year. It is a great time to introduce them to things growing in the Truck Farm, since it is also happening all around them in the ground.
Tiffany Green
Associate Director, Contract Meals and Nutrition
What was your favorite lunch to eat when you were in grade school?
When I was in school, my favorite lunch was pizza which is funny because as an adult I don’t eat it!
What Healthy School Foods meal do you wish was on your school menu?
I would have loved to have had the Jamaican jerk chicken drum on my menu for lunch. For breakfast, any of the breakfast breads!
Do you have any tips to get kids excited to try new food?
I think if we can incorporate kid favorites but make them nutritious. Veggie nuggets for instance, kids love them!
What engagement do you look forward to the most during the school year?
I look forward to School Lunch Hero Day every year! It’s wonderful to celebrate the frontline kitchen teams.
Kourntey Eastman, MS
Manager, School Food Operations
What was your favorite lunch to eat when you were in grade school?
Tuna fish sandwiches from home. Not a fan of school lunch back then.
What Healthy School Foods meal do you wish was on your school menu?
It would have been so cool to have the Buffalo chicken drumsticks, and I love the green beans.
Do you have any tips to get kids excited to try new food?
Allowing the kiddos to cook with their adult. This gives the kids a chance to smell, feel, and taste their food through the cooking process.
What engagement do you look forward to the most during the school year?
I love doing the student surveys, this gives me a chance to talk to the kiddos to make sure they get yummy and nutritious food by our friendly cafeteria staff.
Travertine Garcia, MPH, RDN
Manager, Nutrition Programming & Compliance
What was your favorite lunch to eat when you were in grade school?
My school didn’t have yummy DCCK-type meals, so I packed a lot of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.
What DCCK meal do you wish was on your school menu?
I wish we had the crispy fish sandwich with cilantro-lime slaw and roasted red potatoes.
Do you have any tips to get kids excited to try new food?
Make it pretty! If food looks appealing, students are more willing to try it. Pair new foods with familiar foods and flavors to make them less scary. Let kids choose between the available options—none of us want to be force-fed—having some control over our choices gives us more space to be excited about new foods.
What engagement do you look forward to the most during the school year?
National School Lunch Week, when we invite parents at participating schools to enjoy a meal with their students free of charge.
Taylor Coleman, RDN, LD
Nutrition Programs Specialist
What was your favorite lunch to eat when you were in grade school?
Chicken patty sandwich.
What DCCK meal do you wish was on your school menu?
Crispy fish sandwich.
Do you have any tips to get kids excited to try new food?
Allow them to help! Giving kids hands-on experience is fun and allows them to take pride in their creation!
What engagement do you look forward to the most during the school year?
It’s so hard to choose, but probably Fresh Feature Friday or School Lunch Hero Day!
Sarah Geller, RDN
Nutrition Programs Specialist
What was your favorite lunch to eat when you were in grade school?
Grilled cheese & tomato soup.
What DCCK meal do you wish was on your school menu?
Turkey & bean chili with corn tortilla chips!
Do you have any tips to get kids excited to try new food?
Involve kids in the prep and cooking and let them get their hands on new food when possible. Kids are often more willing to try a food when they have been involved in the prep or cooking of that food!
What engagement do you look forward to the most during the school year?
I am excited to join in the fun for Fresh Feature Friday!