The made-from-scratch lunches are served to 1,000 students a day.
SALAMANCA, N.Y. — The U.S.D.A. has some new nutrition standards going into effect for school meals this year, but there’s a school district in Western New York that’s already ahead of the game when it comes to serving up healthy meals.
2 On Your Side visited the Salamanca City Central School District earlier this week to find out more about the breakfast and lunch programs there.
The U.S.D.A.’s Food and Nutrition Service standards for school meals kicking in this fall include limiting added sugars in cereals, yogurt, and milk. Additional restrictions on added sugars and sodium limits don’t start until 2027.
“We know where it’s coming from. We try to get local when possible,” said John Haley, Salamanca City Central School District Food Services Manager.
Instead of relying on pre-packaged meals like a lot of districts, Salamanca City Central School District Food Services Manager John Haley and his team cook from scratch.
“That gives us a lot more freedom. We can be more creative and we can adjust. We’re not, we’re not restricted by the box, what comes in the box,” Haley said.
This is Haley’s fifth year with the district. Haley has a culinary background and never thought he’d be making food in a school cafeteria, but loves it and can’t imagine doing anything else. He was hired after his boss saw something on Rachael Ray.
“There was a company called Brigaid, and their whole mission is getting chefs in the schools, and so she saw that and got the ball rolling, contacted Brigaid, they helped hire me,” Haley said.
Salamanca Schools offer free breakfast and lunch for everyone. And in order to undertake such drastic change, Haley knew he’d need buy-in from the staff and students.
“We meet with the student government in the high school a lot and just make sure that I check with them once a month, how is everything going, is there anything you don’t like, is there anything you do like, what can we do better, you know, what’s working, and that’s been amazing,” Haley said.
Overall, 75 to 80 percent of the students now eat the lunches made by Haley’s staff. That’s a thousand lunches a day.
Since starting this program, Haley says food waste is down, the district started composting, planted a garden, and there’s a food truck in the works featuring Indigenous recipes.
“Hopefully they’re just like, hey this is normal, this is what we should be eating, and then unfortunately, like, our area, I live in Salamanca, grew up in Salamanca, there’s not a whole lot of healthy food options when you’re driving through,” Haley said. “It’s good that we as a school can provide the healthy option and educate the students that what you’re eating at home might not be the best thing. I know I’ve learned a lot. I know what I’m eating at home isn’t the best thing, so it’s a good reminder every day.”
This was the first year for the garden, so they’re going to take what they learned this summer and put it to use next year to grow more fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
