Wichita Public Schools Nutrition Services Feeds Thousands of Students Every School Day! 

Nutrition Services supports student learning by providing nutritious, well-balanced meals according to federal, state and district regulations while maintaining a self-supporting program.

Overview

Nutrition Services supports student learning by providing nutritious, well-balanced meals according to federal, state and district regulations while maintaining a self-supporting program.  Nutrition Services provides breakfasts, lunches and snacks to students from grades Pre-K -12, as well as infants and toddlers in Child Development Care Centers.  Nutrition Services operates many programs under the USDA’s Child Nutrition umbrella – the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Summer Food Service Program and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.  Each USDA program operates under a different set of regulations and Nutrition Services is reimbursed at different rates.

General Responsibilities 

Nutrition Services plans, prepares and serves meals to students according to guidelines established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).  Production for all elementary schools, K-8 schools, and special schools and programs (64 sites) occurs at the Food Production Center, located at the School Service Center.  The Central Warehouse orders and delivers to the 23 Comprehensive Secondary Schools, where meals are prepared on-site.  Modified meals are provided to students with special dietary needs. 

Key Data 

• The Food Production Center was built in the mid-1970s to provide for approximately 13,000 lunches. At the time, there were no other USDA programs.
• Today, Nutrition Services serves approximately 32,000 lunches and 20,000 breakfasts daily to District students.
• With 89 sites, Nutrition Services is the largest “restaurant chain" in Wichita and the 9^th largest in Kansas
• The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is operated in 22 Elementary Schools.
• Nutrition Services provides meals to the District’s Child Development Centers (7), as well as snacks to 49 Pre-K sites.
• The At-Risk After School Supper Programs operate in 69 schools.
• Approximately 1,200 special diets are provided for children with food allergies and other special dietary needs, such as texture modifications.
• The Central Warehouse receives about15 semi-trailer truck loads of food each week.
• The Central Warehouse delivers 18 routes to Satellite Schools (64) each day.
• 7,400 pounds of chicken nuggets are served on a single day's menu; that equates to 154,050 chicken nuggets!
• Approximately 175,000 string cheese sticks are served each month