Food-Focused Program from Chartwells K12 Encourages Kids to ‘Voice Their Choice’

Culinary

Student Choice Gives Kids the Opportunity to Vote on School Cafeteria Menus

With the 2024 election just weeks away, young kids may notice campaign ads on media platforms and yard signs popping up all over their communities. This presents a unique opportunity to educate younger generations about elections, why people vote, and why their vote matters.

Chartwells K12, a food service partner to K-12 schools across the country, has a program called Student Choice that brings the latest food trends straight to students and helps teach them about the power of choice by letting them decide what’s on the menu.

“Food is a powerful tool. Student Choice has been one of our most popular nutrition education programs for years. The election presents an opportunity to engage young kids in a fun way while teaching them an incredibly important lesson,” said Amy Shaffer, CEO, Chartwells K12. “While the stakes are a Caribbean-inspired Ropa Vieja or a Southwest Black Bean & Wild Rice Bowl, the message is still clear – if you want to see a change, your voice matters.”

First launched in 2018, Student Choice is now available to hundreds of schools across America. The program allows middle and high school students to taste and vote on a variety of new restaurant-inspired stations – from breakfast all day and plant-forward options to authentic Latin cuisine and custom mac and cheese – that will be introduced in the cafeteria. During the events, Chartwells K12 chefs and dietitians cook and serve the new menu items, while also sharing information about the food concepts and recipe ingredients.

“A big reason for the success of the program is students can quickly see firsthand the impact of their vote. Whatever items win are on the menu in the following weeks,” said Chef Peter Gilhooly, SVP of Culinary Services, Chartwells K12. “Students love learning about their options and talking with their peers about what they like. After the vote, some students may not see their pick on the menu, but they understand the choice made by the greater school community.”

In October and November, thousands of votes will be cast during Student Choice events around the country.