MDUSD Food & Nutrition Services is launching new school menus in 2025, with 29 new recipes

MDUSD's Food and Nutrition Services Department is launching new menus in January, 2025, with a total of 29 new recipes! Look for some exciting new options such as Turkey Sausage Egg Bites, Acai Smoothie Bowls, Tri-Tip Sandwiches (featuring Buckhorn Tri-Tip), Sweet Chili Teriyaki Chicken Wings, and a new Halal Lemon Chicken Plate with Turmeric Rice.  
 
"We've been busy this semester with recipe development," said Alexandra Emmott, Director of Food and Nutrition Services & Warehouse. "We're working towards our department's goals, which include increasing scratch cooking and investing in the local economy." The USDA recently changed the rules for breakfast to make it easier for schools to serve protein at breakfast - these high protein bites, along with the Acai smoothie bowl, are made possible by the change in these rules!

The Department is offering more multicultural foods to serve the District's diverse student population. "We've heard the student and community demand for more Halal options and have several new offerings," Emmott said. "All our hot dogs and deli turkey are now Halal; we also have halal chicken thighs on our high school menus. In January, we're rolling out a Halal Lemon & Herb Chicken and Rice Plate with Flatbread at both middle and high schools." And elementary students will be offered Sweet Chili Teriyaki Wings for the first time in January. "These are a student favorite in middle and high schools," Emmott said. 

Here is an sampling of some of the new menu items:

• Halal Lemon & Herb Chicken and Rice Plate - Featuring Halal Chicken from Oakland-based Cream Co. (on Middle and High School menus in January).
• Our version of LAUSD's famous coffee cake - ours uses organic California-grown whole wheat flour from Early Bird Farm and Mill (on all school menus January-March).
• A delicious Roasted Winter Vegetable and Orzo salad with a pesto dressing (on High School menu in February).
• Our Acai Smoothie bowl made with Sierra Nevada yogurt, Acai, and Chia Seeds - topped with frozen strawberries and fresh fair trade organic bananas (on all school menus January-March).
• Chicken Bahn Mi Sandwiches (Vietnamese) - made with Halal chicken thighs (on High School menu in February).
• Sweet Chili Teriyaki Wings (on Elementary menus starting in January). No Antibiotic Ever (NAE chicken) and served with locally grown organic Calrose rice.
• Turkey Sausage Egg Bites - inspired by Starbucks' egg bites, these will be on the menu at all schools starting in January.
• Buckhorn Tri Tip Sandwiches! We're bringing in Buckhorn's famous Tri Tip and serving it up on a toasted La Brea Bakery Roll (at our Middle and High Schools in January). 
• Honey Lime Slaw - Cabbage is the January Harvest of the Month and we're pairing this zippy slaw with the Tri Tip Sandwiches at our Secondary sites and with a BBQ Chicken Sandwich at our Elementary sites.  

You can follow our Food & Nutrition Services Department on Facebook, Instagram and X and can find monthly menus on their website.