SAN ANTONIO – South San Independent School District is taking food services to the 21st century.
The district will launch a new app and website Monday that will make it easier for students to make healthier choices.
Scott Stephens, director of food services, hopes it can help parents sit down with their kids to talk about what choices they have for the week when it comes to breakfast and lunch.
“They can count carbs. They can see a picture of the item they want to eat. They can count the calories. They can see if there's any allergens to it,” Stephens said.
The website or app allows the user to take off items that contain allergens such as peanuts, eggs, wheat or soy. It also shows the sugar content in the foods for those who are diabetic.
Ann Marie Martinez, a parent, said she can see the advantage to using the new app.
“It would be helpful for parents with kids that have allergies or they’re diabetic. This way, they know they have to send their kid with something extra,” she said.
With the old menu system, students had to ask nurses or cafeteria staff about food allergens and sugar content. This will help eliminate that process for them.
A few other local districts have similar apps or interactive websites.
Stephens says the old PDF version will still be available for those who want to print it out.
The district’s food services division operates on a $7.1 million annual budget that comes from state and federal funds, they also generate revenue from other food sales. Their budget is separate from the district’s general operating fund budget.