That's A (Turkey) Wrap on Food Service

(5/1-5/14) Food Service

Tennessee Milk

Technology continues to develop in food service and my preceptor is always looking for better equipment to provide her students nutritious, fun, and delicious meals. We headed to Morgan County, Tennessee to check out a new milk dispenser they have incorporated into their kitchens. Udderly Cold milk dispensers are convenient, labor friendly, and reliable when it comes to providing milk to children at school. My preceptor is interested in placing this new technology in Marion County kitchens to increase milk sales and make providing milk easier for staff. One cup of milk is able to provide one-third of the recommended calcium intake for children and vitamin D, both necessary for strong and healthy bones (Ellis, 2022). This new technology will be a huge asset to Marion County and the health of its children.

Let’s Cookout

I had the privilege of planning and implementing a theme meal for the schools in Marion County. We went with a Cookout lunch and grilled hamburgers, made cookout sides, and served ice cream. The ground beef and ice cream were KY Proud products procured from local farms. The planning of this meal for a large number of people was very extensive and timely. Through this project, I was able to complete CRDN 3.13: coordinate procurement, production, distribution and service of goods and services, demonstrating and promoting responsible use of resources. While utilizing the school’s food service resources such as the budget, HACCP plan, recipes, and production records, as well as the kitchen equipment, I was able to produce the menu. The Cookout included: KY Proud quarter pounders, broccoli ranch salad, cowboy beans, coleslaw, strawberry blueberry swirl, and KY Proud vanilla ice cream. The students were excited to have a specialty menu and grilled hamburgers. The Cookout was a success, and I was super happy to see the smiles on kids’ faces.

That’s a (Turkey) Wrap

Food service is another world when it comes to nutrition & dietetics. Scratch the therapy, counseling, and medical labs, and bring on the management skills and procurement. It definitely was not in my top interests as I had previously worked in the food service industry and was ready for something else. However, my preceptor being so good at what she does, allowed me to enjoy the atmosphere. Because she is not an RD, I was a bit skeptical at first to learn from someone that hadn’t been through the same process, but I came to learn that it wasn’t about her previous education; it was about her position, what she does every day, and how she can lead me to be successful in that same position if I was to ever take on that role.

It is important to stay open minded when going into the internship. Be open minded about your rotation, your site, and your preceptor. Yes, it is helpful to learn from someone who has been through the same experiences and sat for the same exam, however, at the end of the day, it matters if they do their job well and can lead you to do the same job just as well. My preceptor did just that and this experience will be of much value to me and my future career as a dietitian.

I was grateful to be placed in school nutrition as it was the type of food service I was going to enjoy if I was going to enjoy any at all. It was nice to break up my internship with a slower paced rotation and most of all, it was rewarding to help feed little hungry bellies and form big cheesy smiles. I am blessed for this opportunity to learn more about food service & management, and I am so thankful for my preceptor and all of Marion County Public Schools that helped make this experience an enjoyable one. That’s a (turkey) wrap on food service & systems management!

Written by Brianna Starr, UK Dietetic Intern

References

Ellis, E. (2022). Building healthy bones. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Retrieved from https://www.eatright.org/health/health-conditions/bone-health-and-osteoporosis/building-healthy-bones