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The Student Nutrition & Wellness Department at Oak Park Unified School District is dedicated to promoting the health and success of every student. We believe that classroom achievement is inextricably linked to a well-balanced meal on the plate. As participants in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, we plan our menus according to the nutrition guidelines established by the USDA. Our board-approved district Wellness Policy further delineates additional, higher nutrition and food standards by which our program abides.
Our mission is to offer meals that prioritize student health and acceptance, celebrate and respect cultural diversity, promote environmental stewardship, and honor those who grow, harvest, and prepare our food. We carefully consider freshness and quality by sourcing locally grown and produced ingredients whenever possible. We strive to use products that are free of artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, and chemical additives. Most importantly, we pay tribute to the slow food tradition by scratch-cooking and preparing all of our meals.Nothing we serve comes frozen in a bag that is simply heated and served. Every meal includes fresh fruit and vegetables. Our hand-tossed pizza crusts come from D'Amore's Pizza in Thousand Oaks. Our breads are baked fresh by a local bakery in Agoura Hills. Our dedicated cafeteria staff prepare homemade dressings and sauces daily to create a rich array of comfort foods that students enjoy.
CALIFORNIA THURSDAYS
In April 2015, OPUSD joined a coalition of 42 school districts to become a part of the California Thursdays initiative in which we committed to offering a freshly-cooked lunch made from primarily California-grown and produced ingredients every Thursday.After the success of our California Thursdays kick-off events at each school, we made the decision to use California-grown foods whenever possible in all of our meals, every day of the week. Since our district already prepares the majority of our meals from scratch, the challenge for us was and continues to be sourcing those ingredients that fit the standard.As of August 2015, we are using exclusively California-grown antibiotic-free, free range chicken; and offering primarily local, seasonal varieties of fruits and vegetables.Carole LyDirector of Student NutritionLinda La TouretteStudent Nutrition & Business Services Assistant
