FoodPrints Recipes in School Cafeterias: A FRESHFARM FoodPrints and SodexoMagic Partnership

A student-driven system is designed to decide on FoodPrints recipes for school lunch menus

FRESHFARM FoodPrints is thrilled to partner with the team at SodexoMagic to incorporate FoodPrints produce-based recipes into the school lunch menu at DCPS schools where SodexoMagic is the school food vendor. Over the last year, FoodPrints staff, leaders at SodexoMagic, and cafeteria leads collaborated to devise a student-driven system to decide which FoodPrints recipe is featured each month on the school lunch menu.

In this system, FoodPrints staff and service learners (our cadre of interns and volunteers) prepare taste tests of FoodPrints produce-based recipes to pass out to students during their lunch periods. Students have the opportunity to taste the recipe and share their feedback. Our staff and service learners collect this feedback in real-time, analyze the data, and then share it with the SodexoMagic team to make informed decisions about which recipes to add to the menu.

Taste tests and student feedback successfully add produce-based recipes to the lunch menu

During the 2023-24 school year, ten lunchroom taste tests were held across four schools with more than 2,000 samples distributed. Students tasted six recipes: Apple Beet Carrot (ABC) Salad, Prosperity Peas and Collard Greens, Tuscan Kale Salad, Broccoli Slaw, Cauliflower Curry, and French Carrot Salad. Based on the results of students’ votes for their favorite recipes as well as their general excitement for FoodPrints recipes, Sodexo decided to incorporate Tuscan Kale Salad and French Carrot Salad into the school lunch menu during the last half of the 2023-24 school year.

Students can’t wait to eat Apple, Beet, Carrot (ABC) Salad for lunch

This success carried over into the 2024-25 school year with Sodexo incorporating ABC Salad into their school lunch menu this fall and Prosperity Peas and Collard Greens this coming winter. In October 2024 at Marie Reed Elementary, over 300 samples of ABC Salad were handed out. One student said, “I like how the A, B, and C mix together!” Over 400 samples of ABC Salad were passed out at John Francis Elementary. One student said it was the “tastiest salad I ever tasted!” and another said, “Are there going to be bigger portions when it’s on the [lunch] menu? Please?”

Students were thrilled to hear the news that ABC Salad will be on the lunch menu starting in late November. A Service Learner from Howard University who supported the taste tests this fall said, “Everyone involved [students, teachers, cafeteria staff] was committed and enjoyed what we were doing and what FoodPrints aims to accomplish within school lunches!” 

Thank you to the team at SodexoMagic and the incredible DCPS cafeteria staff for making this amazing partnership possible!