Tuesday, January 25, 2022
What started as an innovative idea to get meals to students morphed into more than Dawn Smith could have ever imagined.
Smith, the director of food and nutrition, as well as many school officials at the School District of Beloit, was on site in August 2021 to help unveil two new food trucks that would be utilized in helping deliver school meals in a fun, unique way.
“If you get the food to the kids, they will come,” Smith said. “It was hard to get people on board at first, but now we have more and more people reserving it for the spring. It has been very fun.”
The food trucks are owned and licensed by the district and staffed through Aramark. The district distributes meals for the USDA National School Lunch and National School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, Afterschool Snacks, as well as ala carte sales.
Food service out of the trucks started out once a week at schools on a rotating schedule, but quickly grew to two days a week because of its popularity. With the winter months upon us and Wisconsin weather taking over, the food trucks make an occasional appearance on school grounds when feasible with temperatures, but Smith said she expects spring time to be very busy.
But the story on how the food trucks came to be go much further than what may meet the eye. Smith, working for the district for over 30 years, hatched the idea about three years ago when several days of school were canceled because of inclement winter weather.
“I thought, ‘How are we going to feed these kids? School is closed for three days, what do we do?’” Smith said. “I remember thinking, ‘I wish we could do a food truck. I don’t think anyone has ever done that.’”
Smith traveled to Philadelphia and met a colleague that had experience with operating a food truck and thought of how the idea could raise participation in school meal programs and use the food truck throughout the community. With that extra knowledge and experience and a positive Fund 50 fund balance, the board approved their (Aramark and the district) plan in fall of 2020.
Smith, along with Aramark and the district, always thought the food trucks could be used not only as a way to feed students, but as a learning experience every step of the way.
“To get our feet wet, we held a contest where students could design the trucks and name them,” Smith said.
Two Beloit students won the naming and design contest, and the food trucks now had very appropriate names and artistic designs for their purpose: The Lunch Box and Cruisin’ Cuisine. But the learning hasn’t stopped there. Students help design menus and theme days, such as “Wisconsin Say Cheez” with items including cheese pizza, grilled cheese and mac ‘n cheese, to name a few, and a picnic theme with picnic-themed food items available. Not only that, but some students will even help run the truck.
“It’s about reaching the kids… ‘How am I going to reach these kids?’” Smith said. “The whole food truck is designed to give students a job. Whether they are students with special needs or people in our community, we really wanted to bring that back to where the kids were actually running it.”
For Smith, seeing the idea become a reality this school year has been a remarkable experience, she said, adding that she owes a lot of the credit to those she works alongside and the support of the district and partnership with Aramark.
“This is a group effort,” Smith said. “I have a whole team of people who have supported me through this time.”
Though her food truck idea is off the ground and thriving, Smith said she can’t help but keep moving forward and thinking about what’s next for students in her community.
“I am always thinking ahead,” Smith said. “I have a plan for what I’m going to do next, but I can’t say anything right now.”