At the Tuesday, Nov. 14, Moorestown Board of Education meeting, attendees learned about how the district is ‘empowering’ students with food restrictions.
At the Tuesday, Nov. 14, Moorestown Board of Education meeting, food was at the forefront as those in attendance listened to a presentation on the district’s nutritional software, which was rolled out at the start of the school year.
Food Service Director Dana Gollotto said the district is excited to have NutriServe’s NutriSlice Software at its fingertips.
“It really is bringing us to another level,” Gollotto said.
Using the NutriSlice Software, parents, students and faculty can access any school’s menu and filter lunch options based on food allergies and other dietary restrictions. Additionally, every ingredient in the items being served is listed through the NutriSlice software, Gollotto said.
With the new software, users can select their food allergies or dietary restrictions, and food items that don’t comply with a child’s restrictions are automatically crossed out on the menu.
Gollotto said the software empowers students with dietary restrictions to make their own choices, because the technology provides a sense of security for students wondering whether a food is safe for them.
While the program started at the beginning of the school year, Gollotto said she is still working to get the word out to parents. She said her presentations at the various Back to School nights were well-received, and her hope is that throughout the school year, more parents and students get on board with the technology.
In addition to the software, the district is working to provide students with more fresh fruit and vegetable options, Gollotto said. Through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, the district received $13,000 last year to provide students with fresh fruit and vegetables as opposed to standard canned options.
Gollotto said the emphasis on fresh offerings was so well-received the district was able to request double the funding this year. The $26,000 has the district seeing a “huge improvement” in fruit and vegetable offerings, with at least five or six fresh options provided in every school’s cafeteria every day, Gollotto said.
Every school provides vegetarian options every day, but Gollotto said she is looking into ways to provide more vegan options, as she has received a couple of requests from parents to do so. She said the district is working to make sure everyone is encompassed with the offerings they’re providing.
For more information on NutriSlice Software, visit http://www.mtps.com.
In other news:
• During his monthly report, Superintendent Scott McCartney said the district’s research on social-emotional learning will continue this winter, with a survey going out to the first target group in December. Seventh, eighth and ninth graders will be surveyed on their stress factors as the district compiles data on students’ emotional well-being.
• The next Moorestown Board of Education meeting will take place at William Allen Middle School on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.
