Back To School Mini-Newsletter: August 2023
August 15th, 2023
Welcome Back To School!
Welcome to our back-to-school mini-newsletter. We’ll have a full update in September, but to kick off the year we wanted to give you a warm welcome and a few highlights.
In this issue:
• NEW Fall Menu
• Farm 2 School Spotlight
• Update on free meals
• Job & career opportunities
NEW FALL MENU
Our fall menu is ready to view here: 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:
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 Breakfast Burrito
English Muffin with Sausage & Cheese
Pizza Toast
Sausage & Cheese Breakfast Burrito
Yogurt Breakfast Box
You’ll see more spotlights on these items throughout the fall. Enjoy these protein-packed entrees and join us for breakfast daily!
Featured lunch entrees: We are always changing up our menus to provide a mix of new and returning favorite items. This fall sees the return of our popular Chicken Tamale from Del Real Farms, the Orange Chicken & Rice Bowl, Mac & Cheese with Texas Toast, and a fresh-baked WaveCrest Meat Lovers Pizza.
Be sure to check your school’s menu for your daily favorites.
*** Menus are subject to change based on ingredient availability and staffing needs.
FARM 2 SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT:
Fresh, Local, California Foods
Last year we purchased 193,886 lbs. of fresh, seasonal California produce, and we hope to surpass that number this year! It’s part of our commitment to Farm 2 School and working with as many local, California farms as possible. Among the local farms we’re working with are Dassi Family Farms, Davis Farms, Sage Farms, and Stehly Farms Organics.
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.
The always-popular Harvest of the Month program allows any classroom to sign up and receive a monthly kit that includes a food of the month, lesson plans, and tasting activity ideas that make learning fun and delicious. To have your classroom take advantage of this opportunity, contact our new Operations Manager, Justin DePaola, here.
Farmers Markets
We’ll again be working with our partners at Food4Thought to bring an interactive Farmers Market activity to every elementary school throughout the school year. These are fun, action-packed experiences where kids learn where foods come from, including many that are offered to them at school every day.
Be on the lookout for an announcement from your child’s school this year.
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/
No Cost for School Meals This Year!
California is one of seven states across the country that has made school meals available at no cost to all students! In addition to providing fresh, healthy, delicious foods to our students, there is no paperwork required.
*** With meals being offered at no charge, we are anticipating more students will be dining with us. This may affect the availability of some entrees as we learn and adapt to greater numbers and meeting the demand.
RESOURCES, GRANTS, AND EVENTS
Request A Master Gardener For Your School
The San Diego County Master Gardener Association provides Master Gardeners to help schools set up and maintain gardens. Master Gardeners act as consultants, mentoring parents and teachers who request help with beginning or improving their school gardens. Request a garden consultant here.
Educational Garden Design Grant – Rolling Dates
The California Native Garden Foundation offers grants for school gardens that feature CA native plants. Types of support include garden design services, in-kind donations of plants and landscape materials, volunteer assistance, and direct financial assistance. Click here to learn more and to apply.
Solana Center Workshops – Rolling Dates
The Solana Center hosts a variety of workshops and lessons across San Diego County, with topics including composting, raising backyard chickens, green living, and water-wise gardening. Check out their events calendar here.
Bonnie’s Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program – Rolling Dates
Bonnie’s provides free mega-cabbage plants to 3rd-grade teachers across the US who want to participate. Students grow the cabbages and submit pictures and measurements of their harvest to be considered for a $1,000 scholarship. Find out how to participate here.
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(C) 2023 WaveCrest Cafe / Vista Unified School District
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor de igualdad de oportunidades.