August / Back-to-School Nutrition Newsletter
July 30th, 2026
Si desean leer el boletín en español, hagan clic aquí.
In this issue:
• New menu with featured items
• School meals are FREE!
• Farm to School Feature
• Time & cost savings
• Nutrition Education Opportunities
• Job & career opportunities
Welcome Back To School!
New Fall Menu
Our fall menu is ready to view here: https://wavecrestcafe.com/menu/ We’ve got plenty of tasty new menu items in store, and are happy to be working with local vendors and farmers. A few things of note:
Semester-long menus: We received positive feedback from students regarding the semester-long menus, as they provided more menu choices by having a three-week menu cycle! More variety means students stay more engaged with the menu and are excited about upcoming entrée items. Your students will be able to find long-time favorite entrees along with some new items.
Protein-rich breakfast entrees: We continue to develop more protein-rich breakfast entrees to offer each and every day as part of a healthy and delicious mix of foods designed to power learning all day long. Among the items are:
• Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Burrito
• Ham & Cheese Croissant
• Waffle Bacon Melt
• Yogurt Parfait
• Pizza Toast
• Breakfast Tamale
• Egg and Cheese Breakfast Tacos
All breakfasts come with a selection of fresh, seasonal fruits. Enjoy these protein-packed entrees and join us for breakfast daily!
Featured lunch entrees: Our lunch menu features a wide-ranging mix of new recipes to our already robust mix of returning favorite items. We know that everyone has different taste preferences, so our menu provides many choices daily.
Vegetarian additions: In addition to long-running vegetarian options like a Bean, Cheese, and Rice Burrito, Cheese Quesadilla, and a Yogurt Parfait, we are expanding our vegetarian options. A few examples:
We’re bringing back the always-popular Orange Chicken with Brown Rice, and adding a Vegetarian Orange “Chicken” based on student feedback.
Diners can select a Chicken Alfredo or a Pasta Alfredo without Chicken.
We’re offering a Chicken Parm Sandwich, as well as a Vegetarian “Chicken” Parm Sandwich for another dining option.
We’ve also added a Veggie Fried Rice to the menu, as well as WaveCrest Cheese Pizza, Pizza Crunchers, and a Soft Pretzel and Cheese plate.
All of these options are here to provide choices and reflect student voices in our menu.
New Entrées: We have a number of new items on the menu this Fall, and here are a few we’d like to showcase:
Barbacoa Tacos: These delicious tacos are filled with smoky barbacoa beef. Choose from a variety of fresh toppings, including seasonal veggies and our acclaimed homemade salsa.
Crispy Chicken BLT Sando: This is a sandwich built to power hungry students through a day of learning. A delectable crispy chicken patty is topped with strips of bacon and can be customized at the salad bar with a variety of toppings.
Hot Italian Sandwich: Feast on this amazing sandwich filled with Italian meats and topped with your favorite veggies and condiments.
Loaded Breakfast Sandwich: This is a “Brunch For Lunch” special – egg, cheese, and a hash brown patty sandwiched between two whole-grain waffles – a feast for hungry students!
California Sushi Bowl: This is a special for middle and high schools that we added after fantastic responses to taste tests of this item. It is modeled on the popular California Roll, and features surimi (imitation crab), edamame, cucumber, carrots, and brown rice. A house-made spicy mayo and soy sauce packet will be offered on the side.
We are excited to share this new Fall menu. Be sure to check your school’s menu for your daily favorites.
*** Menus are subject to change based on ingredient availability and staffing needs.
Meals Are Free For The 2026-27 School Year
California is one of nine states in the country to invest in Universal Meals, which delivers amazing benefits to our students and families. All enrolled students of Vista Unified are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no charge each day of the 2026-2027 school year. No further action is required. Your child(ren) will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit an application.
Join us for breakfast and lunch each day to be powered to learn and grow. Each meal comes with a selection of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables from local California farms.
Beyond the tasty, nutrient-packed meals, providing students with free meals has other amazing benefits, including saving families time and money, boosting attendance, and increasing students’ ability to focus in class.
So join us for meals all year – we can’t wait to see you!
Farm To School Leads The Way
Local Foods For Our Students
Last year, we purchased 343,300 lbs of fresh, seasonal California produce, including 207,330 lbs. of fruits and vegetables from local farms within 75 miles of our Central Kitchen!
Be sure to watch for an ever-changing selection of fresh fruits & veggies on our salad bars and at all cafeterias. Every student has a chance to build their perfect plate packed with delicious, fresh foods that deliver vital vitamins and nutrients.
School Meals Can Save Families $1,800 Per Child, Per Year
Not only do school meals deliver great taste and great nutrition, but because they are offered at no cost, they also deliver huge savings for families. How huge? Let’s take a look.
• Students enjoying both breakfast and lunch with WaveCrest Cafe can save over $1,800 per year on food bills per child.
• School lunches can save a family almost $1,100 per year per child! If you factor a lunch at $6 and students have 180 instructional days, that totals out at $1,080 per year per child.
• School breakfast can save another $720 per year. If you have breakfast at $4 per meal x 180 instructional days, that adds up to over $700 per year, per child.
Take advantage of our great selection of fresh, seasonal produce, and warm and friendly staff to have fresh, healthy, delicious, and free meals!
Nutrition Education Opportunities
Our team offers a variety of nutrition education opportunities throughout the school year. These resources engage students and staff alike in learning about new foods, where our food comes from, how to prepare healthy, delicious snacks and meals, and more! Here’s a look at just a few of the things we do throughout the school year.
Harvest of the Month: This is a free program offered to all classroom teachers in the district. Each month, your class will receive samples of a different fruit or vegetable, along with lesson plans and activities about the month’s featured item. Your class will learn about different foods, when they are grown, how they can be prepared and eaten, and more.
If you’re a teacher, signing up for Harvest of the Month is easy! For more information about the program, classroom tasting parties, and more, email Aleeza Hendershot.
The Charlie Cart: These mobile kitchens are designed by The Charlie Cart Project, whose mission is to equip “the next generation with the knowledge and confidence to make healthy food choices through hands-on cooking.” Each cart is compact and mobile, and brings all the tools, lessons, recipes, and support needed to build a comprehensive food education program. From cutting boards and utensils to a skillet top, the Charlie Cart even includes its own built-in water tank to handle cleanup. For more information, email Aleeza Hendershot.
Additional Activities: We also have our popular Blender Bikes visiting schools and making student/bike-powered smoothies. We conduct taste tests at schools throughout the year, exploring new recipes and gathering feedback from our most valuable diners. We have many nutrition education options available for students.
Teachers: see the opportunities and book an event today by using the information in this booklet.
Schools Are The Healthiest Place Most Americans Are Eating
A recent study by Tufts University on the eating habits of more than 60,000 Americans, including 21,000 children, concluded that “Schools are now the healthiest place most Americans are eating.”
Much of that has to do with the nutritional content found in school meals, which ensures that students (and staff) who eat with us receive meals that are:
• Protein-rich
• Low in saturated fats
• Low in sodium
• Packed with whole grains (that have up to 3x the nutrients of enriched grains)
At WaveCrest Cafe, we also offer fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, many from local, California farms, with every meal. We are proud to say that we ensure that every child has access to delicious, nutrient-packed fruits and vegetables every day.
You can find the nutritional information for our food on our website.
You can also look at all of our information on MenuLogic K12, where we have nutrition and allergen information by item.
To read the Tufts University study on the eating habits of Americans, click here.
Practice With Your Child: Entering Their ID on a KeyPad
To make your child’s dining experience even better, help them to practice entering their student ID number on a keypad (especially for our youngest learners). This is the process we use to track the number of meals served so that we are reimbursed for the right number of meals and can make the most of our resources.
Download this PDF practice sheet and practice at home with your child.
We’re Hiring!
Join Our Amazing Team.
School nutrition is an extremely rewarding job. You can be part of the nation’s largest restaurant group, serving tasty and nutritious meals to our children each and every day. What’s more, you’ll meet amazing people who are skilled, dedicated, and passionate about their roles.
Our team has the unique opportunity to interact with almost every student, every day. Those interactions make a big difference in our kids’ lives and lead to long-lasting and meaningful friendships.
See all of our available positions here: https://wavecrestcafe.com/employment-opportunities/
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(C) 2026 WaveCrest Cafe / Vista Unified School District
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor de igualdad de oportunidades.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (AD-3027), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of
the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call 866-632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
(2) Fax: 202-690-7442
(3) E-mail: [email protected]
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Declaración de no discriminación de USDA De conformidad con la ley federal de derechos civiles, y las regulaciones y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés), el USDA, sus agencias, oficinas y empleados, y las instituciones que participan en los programas del USDA o los administran, tienen prohibido discriminar basándose en la raza, color, origen nacional, religión, sexo, identidad de género (incluida la expresión de género), orientación sexual, discapacidad, edad, estado civil, estado familiar/parental, ingresos derivados de un programa de asistencia pública o ideología política, y tomar represalias por actividad previa sobre derechos civiles, en cualquier programa o actividad dirigida o financiada por el USDA (no todas las bases aplican a todos los programas). Las fechas límite de la presentación de quejas y recursos legales varían según el programa o incidente.
Las personas con discapacidades que requieren medios de comunicación alternativos para recibir información sobre el programa (por ejemplo, Braille, letra grande, cinta de audio, lengua de señas estadounidense, etcétera) deben contactar la agencia responsable o al TARGET Center del USDA al (202) 720-2600 (voz y TTY), o contactar al USDA a través del Servicio Federal de Retransmisión llamando al (800) 877-8339. Además, la información del programa puede estar disponible en otros idiomas distintos al inglés.
Para presentar una queja sobre discriminación en el programa, complete el Formulario de quejas sobre discriminación en el programa, AD-3027, que se encuentra en http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html y en cualquier oficina del USDA, o escriba una carta dirigida al USDA y proporcione en ella toda la información solicitada en el formulario. Para solicitar una copia del formulario de quejas, llame al (866) 632-9992. Envíe su formulario completo o carta al USDA por los siguientes medios:
(1) (2) (3) correo postal: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; o
(3) correo electrónico: [email protected].
USDA es un proveedor, empleador y entidad crediticia que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.