360 degree evaluation is key to scratch cooking success

School nutrition is truly an all-hands-on-deck effort! Let's look at ways to involve the whole team and take stock of resources before moving to more homemade menus.
Start by having a roundtable meeting. It can be helpful to start by taking stock of your equipment.
Discuss questions like:
- Is there sufficient workspace to make recipes?
- What equipment can be used and is in good working order?
- Is there any equipment in storage that can be used?
- What equipment might we be able to add?
On the less expensive end, you might want to invest in a rolling cart with a solid top for extra food prep space. If you have space and funds, you may want to buy additional or upgraded equipment such as ovens or cooktops to accommodate increased usage.
Discuss where you might start with the menu and evaluate your current program:
- What food items are most popular with the students?
- Are these items highly processed foods?
- Do you have significant food waste with any of the items you serve? Can those items be changed?
In particular, look at items that are higher cost and less nutritious, such as:
- Heat and serve macaroni & cheese
- Pre-packaged and/or heat and serve breakfast items
- Frozen entrees
- Sauces that come in a can or bag
- Boxed potatoes or rice with seasoning
In our previous post, we mentioned starting with dressings and sauces. Could you make a homemade cheese sauce for macaroni or other noodle shapes? For breakfast, could you make your own semi-scratch cinnamon rolls with pre-made dough?
You don’t need to create your own recipes, either. Chances are, there’s already a standardized recipe out there, and it may already be scaled up to large quantity. Check out our Resources page, where we have compiled links to school nutrition recipes. Healthy School Recipes and the Child Nutrition Recipe Box from ICN are also excellent places to look for standardized recipes.
Once you have a better sense of what you have, consider labor capabilities.
Are staff trained on knife skills like slicing and dicing, or cooking skills like properly mixing and sauteeing? It is essential for staff to be prepared! You may be able to train staff internally, but you may also be able to work with a local community college or culinary program if there is one in your area. Importantly, ask staff how THEY feel about the process. What skills do they want to brush up on? Even simple techniques like whisking can make the difference between a lumpy or smooth sauce, so don't forget about the basics.
Finally, put your plans into action with taste tests!
Make sure you evaluate how a new scratch item goes over with the students and staff. Celebrate the times when a new item is tasty and well-received. If you’re new to taste tests, check out this blog post for tips!