BROKEN BOW — Broken Bow Public Schools has received high-level honors from the United States Department of Agriculture for its exceptional summer meal program.
It is the first year Broken Bow Schools has been recognized with a “Turnip the Beet” award for its efforts, and it was one of two summer meal sponsors in the state of Nebraska to be recognized with a Silver Level honor.
Only 98 districts were recognized with Turnip the Beet awards nationwide. This award was created to showcase sponsors who are going above and beyond to ensure that children in their care are receiving high-quality meals.
Broken Bow Public Schools serve lunch only during its summer meal program, which is free for children ages 1 to 18. This program has high participation each summer. In the summer of 2022, team members served an average of 103 lunches per day.
Lunchtime Solutions has managed the district’s food service program for the past 24 years.
According to the USDA, winners showcased their excellence by serving a variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains and dairy, and culturally-appropriate meals throughout the week.
A majority of children who participate in Broken Bow’s summer meal program are attending the school’s summer care program or local daycare centers, but there are participants from the community, as well. Lunch options range from the comforting classic hotdog and cheeseburger to more adventurous meals.
Each lunch during the program offers an unlimited fruit and vegetable bar, and contains at least four choices every day, along with a hot vegetable.
Another important award criterion was the use of student feedback to formulate menus. The food service team uses many years of knowledge and production records to serve items students like the best.
Summer meals are critical in the lives of millions of our nation’s youth, whose risk for food insecurity increases during the summer months when they no longer have access to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program.
Summer meal programs, including the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) within the NSLP, present the opportunity to help alleviate summertime food insecurity and positively impact children’s growth and development by offering nutritious meals and encouraging children to develop healthy habits at a young age.
