High school students across the district are customizing their own school lunch every day thanks to HISD Food Services. Since the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, 75 dining brand stations have been successfully added to more than 20 high schools.

On Friday, May 24, more than 60 guests gathered at Waltrip High School to celebrate the grand opening of the campus’s new dining brand station. The celebration included a ribbon cutting ceremony and menu samplings of the new brands. Special guests included HISD Board President Anna Eastman, HISD Chief Operating Officer Leo Bobadilla, and Waltrip students who participated in a Food Services focus group.

“It was amazing and Food Services actually took our input and put it to good use,” said Darius Young, focus group participant and junior at Waltrip High School. “The food is a big upgrade from when I first started here in the 9th grade and it feels good that HISD took the time out of their schedule just to make sure we were satisfied. I’m extremely happy that our choices were actually listened to and are now being used in our cafeteria.”

Young and students from throughout the district participated in focus groups and surveys to provide feedback on how to enhance their school lunch experience. The survey asked students to select the reasons they choose to eat lunch at school, what they would choose to eat for lunch if they had their preference and what is important to them when deciding to eat lunch at school. Their feedback helped HISD Food Services/ARAMARK Education develop four dining brands to enhance lunch experiences across the district.

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“The new build-your-own dining stations increase our variety of offerings to students and encourage them to be creative while eating healthy versions of their favorite meals,” said Brian Giles, Senior Administrator of HISD Food Services. “Each station offers fresh vegetables, lean and low-fat proteins and whole grain bread options.”

HISD high school students across the city of Houston can now order their lunch from the following dining brands:

•Green Street Deli™ – Students can create made to order subs, wraps and hot panini sandwiches from fresh ingredients.

•Tortilla Fresh-Mex™- Build-your-own chicken or beef burritos, quesadillas and taco salad bowls with an offering of fresh made salsas, Spanish brown rice and charro beans to complement the meal.

•Custom Bros. Grill™ – Offering build-your-own burgers, grilled chicken and other grilled items students can top with a wide selection of fresh vegetables and special sauces.

•Home Zone™ – A healthy twist on classic comfort foods and home-style cuisine.