Good Food

Everyday we strive to provide access throughout the school day to food that is healthy, culturally diverse, affordable, fair, sustainable and loved by students. 

How we get there 

• Student-centered menus
• Greater variety of local and sustainable menu items 
• Creative breakfast programs
• Recipes designed and tested by students
• Exemplary wellness policy and nutrition guidelines
• More freshly prepared meals made in house

We're moving towards more freshly prepared food in the district. In Fall 2019, we celebrated the grand opening of the new McAteer Culinary Center. The kitchen will serve our Early Education sites, the two high schools on campus (The Academy and Ruth Asawa School of the Arts), and select elementary schools as part of our pilot to create fresh meals in-house and distribute across the district. At our middle and high schools, we're upgrading equipment to prepare more freshly made meals in-house. As facilities are upgraded to prepare and serve fresh food, our procurement practices can improve as well. We can purchase high-quality food and ingredients in alignment with the Good Food Purchasing Program, allowing us to nourish our students with more local and sustainable menu options.

We’re constantly creating and testing new, student-friendly recipes. Last year, we tested over 30 new recipes with students at 10 schools. Thanks to the inspiring group of School Food Advisory students, we also have recipes designed and vetted by students. Ongoing surveys and taste tests allow us to use feedback to tailor menus to students.

We’re exploring additional opportunities for students to conveniently access school meals, such as Grab n’ Go Carts, Vending Machines, Breakfast in the Classroom and Second Chance breakfast. 

On October 24, 2016, SFUSD adopted the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP). GFPP is a metric-based framework and set of tools that guides organizations to direct their buying power toward suppliers that meet five inter-connected values: local economies, environmental sustainability, valued workforce, animal welfare, and nutrition. Download our Baseline Assessment Report for the 2017-18 school year.

We’re continuously working to improve the environmental responsibility of our programs, including the use of plastic, food waste, and sustainably sourced food. In the 2018-19 school year we eliminated plastic straws from the meal program. The new McAteer Culinary Center serves as a model for our vision, using energy-efficient equipment and reusable dishes. In 2019-20, we’re building on this effort by:

• Replacing spork kits with individual utensils and napkins
• Updating serving lines to eliminate meal packaging
• Sourcing more local, organic, and sustainable ingredients
• Piloting self-serve milk dispensers
• Exploring uneaten food donations