London, ON – Two school cafeterias will take on a new look to go along with some culinary enhancements! Students at Parkside Collegiate in St. Thomas, and London’s Central Secondary School will be launching their Student Voice project this week. Shaped by input from students and in partnership with Chartwells School Dining (the Thames Valley District School Board’s cafeteria supplier), the team has worked together to develop some innovative healthy choices, promoted by electronic signage that will bring focus to some new menu items. As a special feature, Food Network Celebrity Chef Corbin Tomaszeski will be engaging with students during the launch events this Tuesday, May 5th and Wednesday May 6th. Chef Corbin has been instrumental in bringing great taste, interesting flavor profiles and introducing retail-style menu items that are healthy – and kid appealing to Chartwell’s Schools.

Supported by a Healthy Eating grant from the Ministry of Education, Elgin St. Thomas Public Health and the Middlesex-London Health Unit consulted with 11 groups of students at six area high schools to gain a better understanding of why cafeteria sales had been declining. The feedback they provided was shared with the School Board and Chartwells, resulting in the changes being introduced this week.

“Students told us they wanted more variety, including fresh, healthy and great-tasting menu choices, as well as made-to-order sandwich and salad bar options,” says Cathy Macpherson, Dietitian at Elgin St. Thomas Public Health. “They also ranked faster payment processing, competitive pricing, customer loyalty programs and better promotion of healthy choices among the factors that would encourage them to eat at the cafeteria,” added Christine Callaghan, Dietitian at the Middlesex-London Health Unit.

“Chef Corbin’s new signature recipes, demonstrates that cafeteria meals can be both healthy and delicious – we’ve experienced great success in our other pilot schools. We are a partner in promoting school success and we know that healthy diets are part of that goal, helping students concentrate and preparing them for learning,” says Brenda O’Neill, Regional Vice President, Chartwells School Dining. “We’re thrilled to be working with Chef Corbin and assisting in responding to student feedback by developing new recipes.”

Over the coming months, information will be provided to the Thames Valley District School Board about how the changes being implemented affect cafeteria use and sales.

Media contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit, 519-663-5317 ext. 2469 or 519-617-0570 (cell.)

Spokespeople:
Christine Callaghan, Dietitian, Middlesex-London Health Unit
Cathy Macpherson, Dietitian, Elgin St. Thomas Public Health
Brenda O’Neill, RVP, Chartwells School Dining