The Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) Food and Nutrition Department is dedicated to ensuring students have a say in what they eat at school. For the past 33 years, PWCS has hosted an annual food show event where students and families taste potential dishes and provide feedback.  This community input has led to the incorporation of a variety of dietary options into the school menus. 

Food and nutrition employees are adopting new approaches to hear from students and ensure school menus are reflective of the PWCS student body. This school year, employees began surveying 4th through 12th grade students to learn about their food preferences, eating habits outside of school, and menu suggestions. They’re also engaging with members of the student senate and student voice committees to connect with students directly. One member of the student voice committee requested the return of chicken and waffles to the menu, resulting in its addition to the Valentine’s Day menu.  

"At the end of the day, our students are our customers. We want every student to come to school excited about the school breakfast and lunch menus. Gathering student feedback helps us create menus that students will truly enjoy," said Callie Nickles, PWCS administrative coordinator for nutrition and procurement.  

This school year, student feedback led to sausage and cheese stuffed waffles, smash patties, butter chicken, and pizza with spicy vegetarian sausage all being added to the menu. Food and nutrition employees work hard to customize school meals, but they do have to follow nutrition guidelines, which means every requested dish won't make the cut. Each meal must contain certain components including whole grains, protein, fruit, vegetables, and milk. They also have to limit sodium, sugar, and saturated fats.  

"The school nutrition standards ensure that students are offered a nutritious and balanced meal that supports their growth and development, both in and out of the classroom,” said Nickles. “Those standards can make certain student requests more difficult to grant, but that's the creative challenge of school nutrition. It's one big puzzle, and our job is to find ways to make all the pieces fit." 

The PWCS Food and Nutrition Department will reopen student feedback surveys again in the spring.