Why serving restaurant food in schools is bad for kids

Partnering with local restaurants for school lunches is one way to offer students tasty meals while supporting the community. However, serving kids restaurant food every day comes with issues that demand a closer look. Let’s explore these problems and a healthier, more sustainable way to solve them in this article.

‍

Not made for daily consumption

‍

Restaurant dishes taste as good as they do because of their excessive fat, sugar, and sodium content, which is far more than what growing children need every day. They’re also high in refined grains that lack fiber and only satisfy hunger for a short time, leaving kids out of focus and struggling to concentrate for the rest of the day. Chick-Fil-A might be a local favorite, but it’s not good for kids long term.

‍

To stay alert and focused throughout the day, students need nutrient-dense, healthy meals that will keep them fuller for longer. This means whole-grain-rich foods with reduced sugar and sodium content, not processed restaurant food.

‍

‍

Constant mistakes

‍

Staffing remains a big problem at local restaurants post-pandemic, with labor challenges still at a major high. As a result, quality of service, food, and logistics suffer, causing inefficiencies and strained staff. A restaurant servicing a school may have to make a choice between its main customers and the school.

‍

Labor shortages can mean inconsistent portions, mishandled orders, or potential sanitary issues—serious concerns for schools. Just one case of a severe allergic reaction could trigger a wave of complaints from parents and scrutiny from school district officials.

‍

Lack of experience serving schools

‍

Serving an entire school with hundreds to thousands of students every day is a lot different from serving a few guests at a restaurant. Large-scale food production requires expertise and managerial experience not just in cooking meals but also in delivering them to schools in great condition. Additionally, kids at different ages need different amounts of food, and many restaurant portion sizes are too large for young children. Meal portions in restaurants have increased dramatically over the years.

‍

All of this can be extra challenging for small local restaurants new to large-scale operations. That’s why chefs that have experience with serving meals in schools are ideal for the job. They have the experience and industry know-how to produce large quantities of food and deliver them on time and ready to eat.

‍

‍

Higher prices

‍

Restaurants keep up with growing inflation rates through increased labor, operating, and food costs. They also may not have the economies of scale as larger kitchens. For schools, this means higher, generally unaffordable prices. Over time, this becomes an excessive expense that can otherwise be replaced with a cheaper yet healthier and more sustainable option. Higher prices at the lunch line can cause students to go hungry.

‍

That’s why schools are choosing Ordo for healthier school food service

‍

Ordo has become the fastest growing school food program in America, providing fresh meals made from scratch every day in our kitchens. Students and parents can place their orders through their ordering app and can choose from seasonal menus with 4 to 6 different options daily like Tex Mex Crunch Salad with Creamy Lime Dressing or Chicken Bacon Wrap with Pretzels, Carrots & Ranch. Our online platform automates compliance paperwork for reimbursable meals, tracks important metrics like daily participation rate, and handles all payment and order processing. Ordo offers both vended meal service where we deliver the food every day and onsite food service management with our chefs preparing food on campus. We have served all types of schools, from preschools and daycare centers to private and public schools.

‍

If you’re interested in providing fresh, healthy food for your school, you can reach out to the school partnerships team here.