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Students: Smoothies Popular, Sushi Less So
MASD board gets update on food services
By Adam Reinherz
The Tube City Almanac
February 17, 2025
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Smoothies are popular among students at McKeesport Area School District.
Sushi, less so. Dietary preferences were among the highlights presented to MASD school directors by Kelly Patterson, regional director of Nutrition Inc., MASD’s food services management company, during Thursday’s school board meeting.
Aided by photos and an informational packet, Patterson shared highlights from the district's food program.
In December, MASD featured a breakfast with Santa. The district also offered a Bluey Day, which students at Francis McClure Elementary and Twin Rivers Elementary “absolutely loved,” Patterson said.
At the high school, a coffee station and smoothie bar was added.
Smoothies, which are available at breakfast, are a “reimbursable meal,” Patterson said. Coffee is not free because it lacks the “nutrient content that a smoothie does.”
According to the district, a federal program ensures each child “receives one free breakfast and one free lunch every school day.” After registering at schoolcafe.com, users can see menus and track purchasing history.
Patterson told school directors that despite average daily lunch participation remaining similar to last year, breakfast consumption is down.
Chef Nate, a district chef, told school directors a transition to more “scratch-made meals” should boost breakfast consumption: “That way the students have more variety and it’s a pre-packaged item they’re seeing over and over again.”
Though smoothies proved popular at the high school, sushi did not, according to the food services professionals.
The district chef posited the lack of sushi interest may stem from fewer kids possessing familiarity with the dish.
“I think we have to make sure they understand it’s not raw,” Patterson agreed. “I think some people just assume that all sushi is raw.”
Still, the students who tried sushi found it enjoyable, Chef Nate said.
Following the food professionals’ comments, school director David Seropian praised the individuals and their department.
“There's an old saying, 'No news is good news,’” he said. I haven't really heard any kind of negative all year long. It seems like it's been going pretty well. So everybody must be pretty happy. I'm sure there's issues, but you guys must be handling them pretty well. So thank you.”
Adam Reinherz is a Pittsburgh-based journalist. He can be reached at adam.reinherz@gmail.com.
Originally published February 17, 2025.
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