District Central Bakery Dishes Out Nutritious Food

Posted Date: 06/02/2020

January 21, 2014 - Amarillo ISD, in partnership with Chartwells School Dining, will launch a district central bakery this spring to provide nutritious food to school cafeterias across Amarillo.

“AISD estimates the central bakery could save the district around $45,000 per year,” Brent Hoover, food service director, said. “It also provides the flexibility, consistency and variety of baked products, within the United States Department of Agriculture guidelines, that our food service program needs.”

Located west of 27^th and Osage, the bakery is in a prime location to serve the district’s 53 schools. The building it will inhabit is currently under construction, and AISD will lease the 2,500-square-foot space for $2,600 per month with child nutrition funds. Two bread trucks will deliver the nearly 41,000 bread products served in cafeterias each week.

“All our bread recipes come from the USDA, meeting and often exceeding their guidelines,” Hoover said. “Whole grains play a role in maintaining weight, regulating the digestive system and preventing certain kinds of diseases.”

The USDA requires school districts serve both fruits and vegetables, whole grain-rich foods, fat-free or low-fat milk options, reduced amounts of saturated fat, trans-fats and sodium, and limit the calories served to students every day of the week. The central bakery will allow the food service program to adjust recipes as needed to maintain nutritional regulations while preserving the tasty items students prefer in their meals. Many of our schools serve breakfast and lunch, ensuring students receive appropriate and balanced nutrition for their age.