Wisconsin School District Implements Scratch Cooking Program in Cafes

When Foodservice Director Rob Prestwood began working for the School District of Mauston (WI) in May 2021, he recognized the opportunity to provide more scratch-made foods in the cafes districtwide. This school year, breakfast and lunch are being served in the cafes rather than in the classroom, a serving model his cafes haven’t used since pre-Covid. Opening the cafes to students cut down their paper goods usage, labor efforts, and the cost of pre-packaged foods. They are now able to present their offerings in a way that is visually appealing to the students. “Children eat with their eyes, and we are proud to display our foods in a manner that is more visually appealing,” says Prestwood.

Beef enchiladas ready to go in the oven

The child nutrition department’s vision is to create a unique dining experience by providing healthier, higher quality food options to students and staff. At the start of the 22-23 school year, scratch cooking was implemented in all schools, and included a new “World Cuisine” concept launched at Mauston High School. This program features many ethnically diverse entrees and sides including scratch-made meat and cheese enchiladas, Korean pork with gochujang, Asian-inspired fish tacos, Cajun chicken alfredo and more! Prestwood and Brittany Herman, MSA, RD, LD, Director of School Menu Solutions for ProTeam Foodservice Advisors, collaborated this past summer to come up with exciting, yet easy to execute recipes that meet K-12 regulations. Any ingredients that were brought in to execute new recipes have multiple applications across menus.

“Scratch-cooking can be less expensive than purchasing prepared products if the ingredients are cross-utilized in a variety of recipes,” Prestwood points out.

Featuring made from scratch options on the menu has helped his kitchens overcome supply chain issues, something that has been a constant struggle since 2020. It has also increased employee satisfaction by allowing his kitchen staff to exercise their talents and take pride in the foods they prepare. However, one eye-opening challenge that Prestwood was not prepared for did present itself: students’ lack of familiarity with scratch-made foods. He has found that “...by providing samples of our menu items from the “World Cuisine” serving station, students enjoy the items and are more likely to choose them in the future.” These new menu items have garnered the attention of High School Principal Jim Dillin, SDM’s Board of Directors, and Superintendent Joel Heesch, who are all very excited about the scratch cooking efforts.

Italian stromboli

Italian stromboli

Some of the most popular breakfast items include scratch-made French Toast Casserole and Egg & Potato Bakes, while the Beef Enchiladas and Italian Stromboli have been student favorites at lunch. Prestwood does not see this new endeavor slowing down. His future plans include creating a Food Service Steering Committee comprised of staff and students to guide future menu decisions, adding seasonal offerings that incorporate locally grown produce as part of Wisconsin’s Harvest of the Month Program, and expanding community awareness through educational marketing in school newsletters and samples at family fun nights. If you’d like to keep up with Mauston’s scratch-made endeavors, you can follow them on Facebook @sdmauston and Instagram @sdmauston.