High school students were welcomed to school in West Memphis, Arkansas with a treat to their senses! The district food truck, conveniently parked in front of the Academies of West Memphis for morning arrival, delighted students and staff with the sights, smells and tastes of homemade pancakes off the grill, along with tasty sausage, milk and juice. This fun service option originally started as a kickoff to National School Breakfast Week in 2020. With its success, the district plans to serve more meals in new and creative ways this school year.

Across the country, kids are returning back to their familiar school campuses but often not back to the same routines and environments they had pre-Covid. The challenges of feeding students during the pandemic tested foodservice teams and resulted in some remarkable innovation. One positive outcome is the proven success of alternative service models and expanded points of service to assure as many students as possible are eating as many meals as possible.

Why is this so important? A recent study that compared the nutritional value of foods consumed from grocery stores, restaurants and schools revealed that children's healthiest meals of the day come from school cafeterias. The nutritional and emotional benefits of having access to consistent meals at schools have never been more important.

With tight lunch schedules, heightened consumer expectations and the need for safety and space during mealtimes, mobile carts, food trucks, grab-and-go kiosks and coffee bar experiences have become more of a norm. Where we had previously featured "snacks" or "extra" items like chips or beverages, foodservice teams have found new ways to distribute reimbursable healthy meals choices.

Coffee bars not only bring an upscale retail vibe to high school campuses, but they add menu variety and a place to quickly pause and replenish. Popular reimbursable meal options include fresh fruit parfaits and a variety of smoothie options made from yogurt and fruits, coupled with granola or toast.

Mobile carts and kiosks can be used at every grade level in outdoor courtyards, entryways and higher-traffic hallways to meet students where they are and drive participation. Carts and kiosks also provide a great pick-up spot for mobile ordering, cutting down on lines and wait times. For extra fun, add a food façade to a cart or window and create a food-truck style experience in almost any space. Popular grabbable meal options include freshly made chef's salads or hot wrapped breakfast burritos.

Vending machines are more than just chips and soda! Self-vended, reimbursable meal options allow students to find nutritious food options at any time of day, even outside the normal breakfast and lunch periods. Strategic placement of the machines can attract students who avoid the lunchroom because of limited time or crowds. Healthy boxed lunches are just a click away!

It's not just a change in lunchtime dynamics where we're seeing success in alternative options. Breakfast has come into focus as another way to get more kids fed more often. The trick here has been to make breakfast service easy and customizable for each school. Surveys to students, parents and administrators coupled with space constraints and bell schedules, often determine the method of breakfast service.

Many students don't arrive on campus early enough to sit down and enjoy a hearty meal. Some need grab-and-go options and some aren't ready to eat until after first period. Second chance breakfast in the classroom and breakfast all-day culinary concepts help meet the needs of students across grade levels. Innovation in breakfast service provides more access to fresh fruit, hot sandwiches, homestyle oatmeal and more.

Studies have shown that students who eat breakfast have longer attention spans, perform better at complex tasks, are more alert, score better on tests and have better social skills. Generally, kids who eat breakfast are healthier and happier than those who don't.

Now, many schools are starting the year off right by starting their day off right -- with breakfast options served off a grill, chilled in a grab-and-go cup, packed in a bag, or delivered to their desk. Happy cafeterias have expanded to outdoor patio areas and coffee bards built into spaces that we previously storage rooms or unused alcoves. In every Chartwells K12 school this year, the mission of serving up happy and healthy will be fueled by innovation in service!