Morro Bay High School is just one of many local schools that have seen a rise in the need for student meals since the pandemic.
According to the San Luis Coastal Unified School District, over 50 percent of students are receiving school meals, and that demand is now leading to a partnership with local farms and businesses.
“That number has not changed. It continues to grow. Just this past year we’ve seen a 3% to 4% increase in breakfast and lunch,” said Erin Primer, SLCUSD Director of Food and Nutrition Service.
Junior Lucy Duprey is among the students who take advantage of the meal program.
“My favorite foods are definitely the Mexican foods that we have so the pozole, tamales, and tacos,” Duprey said.
She appreciates that everything is sourced locally.
“It’s really awesome. It contributes to our school as a community. It’s one of the first things I bring up when I talk about our school,” Duprey said.
From the fruit...
“These strawberries are coming from Santa Maria. These mandarins are coming from Delano,” explained Cory Bidwell, Kitchen Supervisor.
To other things like honey, olive oil, milled flour, and pastries...
“We work with Edna’s Bakery, which is a local bakery down in the Edna Valley. They have formulated a whole grain muffin for us,” Bidwell said.
And even beef cuts and patties which come straight from Hearst Ranch...
“Working with local farmers is not only a better product, fresher product, creating local jobs, boosting the local economy, but it’s also better for the planet, for shipping, for plastic waste, all that kind of stuff,” Bidwell added.
All students in California started receiving free meals at the start of the pandemic. That has continued as part of the Universal Free Meals program.
“We’re able to ensure that every student gets a delicious meal at school regardless of who pays the meal,” Primer said.
The program reimburses schools for every meal they serve.
“If we don’t serve a meal, we’re not getting that reimbursement, so it’s really important that the meals we serve are delicious and fresh,” Primer said.
Bidwell says between breakfast and lunch, they serve around 700 meals a day at Morro Bay High School.
Assisting with that is Angelina O’marr who is also a parent of two students in the district.
“I keep in mind that I’m feeding other people’s kids and I want to give them the best just like I know my kids are at other sites as well,” O’marr said.
