Madison Local Schools

Setting the Standard for Healthful School Eating

As the second largest school district in Richland County and Mansfield Ohio, Food Service Director and member of the School Nutrition Advisory Panel (sponsored by the California Cling Peach Board) Diane Coleman is responsible for a lot of meals - 2,000 each day to be specific, or 10,000 each week (including breakfast and lunch). Coleman's district located in Central Ohio boasts 3,000 students and six schools, including two secondary schools and four elementary schools.

            Last year Madison Local charted a new course for student nutrition by pulling all à la carte options from its schools. Students can now only buy a "class A lunch," which consists of a choice of five different main dish menu items daily in secondary schools, and two main dish items in the elementary schools. Also gone are high sugar "fruit" drinks and sports drinks, replaced with 100% juice drinks, water and flavored water, and milk and flavored milks. Also included in the healthful approach at Madison Local is the absence of fried food, chips, and food of minimal nutritional value, as well as the inclusion of fruits and salads each day, and desserts such as Madison's own Peach Crisp made from scratch.  

            The benefits of amending the approach at Madison Local have been two-fold: fiscal, and healthful. By re-strategizing their approach to school feeding, Madison Local has been able to increase their meals served by 60,000 more than the previous year, and they anticipate the figure will be even higher this year. This increase in participation factors directly into higher state and federal reimbursements, which is always a good thing from a bottom line perspective.

            If you're interested in learning more about Madison Local School District, be sure to visit their home page at www.madison-richland.k12.oh.us , and the school foodservice section at www.madison-richland.k12.oh.us/foodsvc/ . Also be sure to check out a favorite recipe of students from Madison Local School District, their enticing recipe for peach crisp featured in this issue of the Peach Press.