Parents in Aiken County can mark lunchbox off the back to school shopping list. When school starts on July 25, every school in the District will offer delicious, chef-created breakfasts and lunches at no cost for every student each day that school is in session.
A growing number of schools in Aiken County have offered no cost breakfast and lunch to its students through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the last several years. The revamped program, featuring made-from-scratch recipes, executive chef-led trainings and student-approved menu options, is expected to transform the meaning of “school food” in Aiken County, and now with all schools classified as CEP, participation is expected to skyrocket.
Employees in the District’s School Food Service Department have embraced the extensive training this summer, learning enhanced safety, customer service and culinary skills. Presentation is key; Food Service professionals will be dressed in new uniforms, aprons, and hats provided by Chartwells as they prepare and serve new menu options as visually-appealing as they are tasty to students as their customers.
“Students will feel more like they are visiting a restaurant or café, than a school cafeteria,” explained Polly Peyinghaus, District Coordinator for School Food Service. Peyinghaus is new to the District as well and brings a unique passion for school nutrition and a work history of food service in education, as well as in restaurants. She is working hand-in-hand with Chartwells’ Resident District Manager Howard Grinberg to train and prepare to introduce new recipes, allow students to share their feedback, and implement other changes to enhance students’ mealtime experience.
While new to Aiken County for the 2023-24 school year, Chartwells has decades of food, education and operation experience and is in more than 4,500 schools nationwide. Driven by top culinary, nutrition, wellness, and sustainability talent, Chartwells is known for creating custom dining programs and helping serve food kids love to eat.
Student and parent representatives on District Superintendent King Laurence’s Superintendent Advisory Council joined him to sample some of the new menu offerings in May. “We were all really impressed,” Superintendent Laurence commented. “From freshly-prepared mandarin orange chicken salads, handmade pizzas like buffalo chicken, veggie, cheese and pepperoni, Philly cheese steaks, yogurt parfaits and more, the variety of delicious and beautifully-presenting options that will be available to all students without cost this year is really something to get excited about.”
Funding for student meals will continue to come from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through CEP, all students will enjoy one breakfast and one lunch at no cost. However, should a student wish to purchase an à la carte specialty item such as Hershey’s ice cream or chips, which will be offered in middle and high school cafés, cash in hand or funds available in the student’s Meal Payments Portal will be needed. The District’s Meal Payments Portal, TITAN Family Portal, has been upgraded to LINQ Connect. Login information for families already using TITAN Family Portal will be transferred over to LINQ Connect, so, for existing users, there will be no need to set up a new username and password. LINQ Connect will allow families to set up one-time or recurring payments, set spending limits, transfer funds between students, set low-balance notifications, and more. Because payment will be needed for those specialty items at the time of service, students will not acquire new lunch debt beginning this year.
Students and families will soon be able to access menus, ingredients, and have an opportunity to provide feedback on the new meal offerings. Students with dietary restrictions or special dietary needs will be able to filter menu options and easily identify which menu items align with their needs.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Aiken County Public Schools for the upcoming school year,” Grinberg shared and explained that the District’s partnership with Chartwells will do more than just help the district provide food students will love. “Chartwells will work with your district to also help inspire healthy eating habits through fun and engaging programs.” Some of those programs Grinberg mentioned include Discovery Kitchen, with monthly themes and activities to get kids cooking, trying new foods, and learning about what they’re eating; Global Eats, which will invite students on a global food exploration through China, India, Italy and Mexico that will introduce a world of flavors while celebrating cultural heritages; Mood Boost, which will help elementary and middle school students connect what they eat with how they feel; and Student Choice, giving students a voice in what food concepts are featured and new menu items available.
“Good nutrition is step one to students feeling grounded and ready for daily instruction,” Peyinghaus added. “We’re looking forward to offering delicious, nutritious food, which we know is vital to students’ education and their ability to learn.”