Domestic School Foodservice

Potatoes are raising the bar at school

Each day, school foodservice operators prepare lunches for 29.8 million students and 14.7 million who eat breakfast at school. This heroic group is increasingly strapped for time, labor and inspiration. Potatoes USA is committed to helping meet the needs of K–12 schools by offering inspiring potato menu ideas.

Growing the love of potatoes

Staying connected with school foodservice operators throughout the year helps keep potatoes top of mind when they are developing their menus and placing orders.

Continuous posts on social media, quarterly Potatoes Raise the Bar eNewsletters, regular ads in the School Nutrition Associations’ SmartBrief, sponsorships at school foodservice conferences, educational webinars, and training videos build a strong rapport with these key decision makers. The marketing kit effectively expands the program’s reach while promoting the versatility, functionality and love of potatoes. Recipe creation, curation, and distribution is key to the program’s impact.

Testing new dishes

Potatoes USA partners with schools, a leading school chefs, and school nutrition experts to ensure that new recipes meet the needs of kids’ discerning palates and the functionality required of school foodservice professionals. In fact, Potatoes USA gets into schools to work directly with the foodservice operators to test new potato dishes.

One of the keys that has unlocked the door to school kitchens has been the donation of well over 300 salad bars from the potato industry to schools across the country. By partnering with the potato industry, Potatoes USA has greatly increased the reach into school foodservice and prominently positioned potatoes as a gateway vegetable for the next generation.

Reaching New Audiences

This year, Potatoes USA has expended its reach to teachers, high school sports coaches, and school administrators to enlighten them on the benefits of choosing potatoes. By educating this new audience, foodserivce operators menu planning is easier. With the support of the school’s staff, foodservice operators can efficiently menu delicious potato options all school year long and at every meal period.