Orange Chicken Brings Big Smiles, Highlights District’s Commitment to New Menu Options

Lunchtime was extra bright across Springfield Public Schools this week as the Nutrition Services team introduced a flavorful new addition to the menu: Yang’s Orange Chicken. The team, alongside partners from Yang’s, served up the new dish with big smiles at Agnes Stewart Middle School, serving T-shirts and swag to celebrate the moment.

“We’re always looking for ways to entice more students to come see us,” said Heather Murray, Nutrition Services Supervisor. “If we can add items to the menu that students enjoy, they’ll come back again and again.”

Behind each new menu choice is a larger purpose of helping students thrive in and out of the classroom.

“There are so many studies about how important good nutrition is for students,” Murray explained. “It’s not just about growing bodies. It’s about growing minds. When students have bellies full of good, nutritious food, they can focus their minds, and their bodies, leading to improved academic success.”

Student reactions to the orange chicken have been overwhelmingly positive.

“The students are super excited,” Murray said with a smile. “We’ve had big thank-yous, and one student even said, ‘This is the best day ever!’”

At the same time, some students who brought their lunch from home expressed frustration at missing out on the new menu item. A few may have even sneaked a bite from a friend, another sign of the excitement surrounding the offering.

The plan is for the orange chicken to be served roughly once a month, cycling through other items in the menu rotation so there is always variety and something new to look forward to. Developing these new items is a collaborative process.

“We build partnerships with our vendors and sample new products, sometimes testing directly with staff, sometimes directly with students at a single school, so we can evaluate best preparation methods, how the product tastes, and most importantly if it’s enjoyed by our students,” said Murray.

The district’s menu has expanded significantly in recent years. Earlier this year, SPS introduced fresh albacore tuna sourced from the Oregon Coast, another example of the district’s creative approach to school nutrition. More fresh, scratch-made options continue to be added as well, such as Homestyle Spaghetti, Scratch-Made Muffins (made without gluten), Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Hand-Rolled Burritos, and Homemade Sloppy Joe. The team has also broadened offerings to include fresh produce from local farms, like Asian pears and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

“It’s not only about the main item that’s on the menu, but those things that partner with it as well,” Murray explained.

The goal is to provide the healthiest options possible, while meeting federal nutrition standards for sodium, sugar, and calories, at the most important time in students’ lives, when they are growing, learning, and building habits for the future.

Students are clearly responding to the effort. Participation in school meals has grown consistently, increasing by five to ten percent each year. New computer software helps track student engagement and confirms what Murray and her team observe.

“More and more students are coming to eat with us every day,” Murray said. “That’s our mission: to fuel our students and support them throughout their school day.”