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The “New Normal” for K-12 Nutrition Technology

Gabe Aiello
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Marketing

 

CDC’s “Considerations for Schools” document outlines how to help protect students, teachers, administrators and staff while slowing the spread of COVID-19. School nutrition technology companies are simultaneously focused on meeting school’s emergency needs, as well as shifting development priorities to providing solutions for opening this Fall.

The normally bustling cafeteria line and lunch room may become COVID quite.

Converting lunchrooms into classrooms is being discussed along with staggered and split schedules or alternating days for school site and remote learning. These are just a few of the challenges facing school nutrition operators. Limits on congregation of all types will limit cafeteria feeding and expand prepackaged or plated meals, already being provided for emergency feeding, to the classroom and alternate serving areas.

At risk students and staff may be urged to bring their own meals, unless extra precautions can be taken. Software that tracks allergies and food sensitivities may need to add new categories for at risk patrons.

Classroom meal service may resemble breakfast in the classroom, but with the need to provide more choices.

As many operators rely on ala carte to balance their budgets, a way to provide ala carte options and possibly entree choices is needed. The sheer volume of individual meals and complications of split schedules and alternate day feeding will require new meal ordering technology for teachers or other staff and possibly pre-ordering of meals by parents.

“Touchless” solutions are an important part of nutrition technology’s future.

Cafeteria line service will have to be modified for small groups with social distancing, and preferably touchless meal account activation and no cash transactions. Keypads, finger image, and palm scanning may be come things of the past. Alternate serving areas will require additional portable technology for meal accountability and ala carte sales.

More schools will likely qualify for the Community Eligibility Program, given the record breaking increase in unemployment. Schools that already qualify and haven’t switched may move to CEP. The possibility of a waivers being extended through the 20/21 school year could change the operations and business model completely.

Some thoughts about technology changes you may need to consider 

Presently waivers are providing for emergency meals and food distribution and delivery through August 31. Alternate means of counting meals and tracking reimbursements are many. Some technology companies are providing free online applications during the COVID-19 crisis.

Touchless POS peripherals for student identification and automated meal transactions 

Keypads utilized for student account identification are problematical. It is not feasible to keep up with the spraying, wiping and sanitizing of Keypads, even with smaller groups of students passing through. Solutions included “always on” scanners, that don’t require a cashier to shoot the barcode, or rosters with pictures, maybe even automated digital facial recognition technology could become available.

Paperless options 

Paper rosters and paper in general will be a problem because of the number of times it changes hands. Meal ordering systems for the teachers or other staff on a classroom computer or mobile tablet are needed.  The ability to process whole classrooms in seconds, with an onscreen picture roster, would help. Allergy alerts and special dietary restriction messages should be supported. Processing paper F&R applications requiring manual entry or scanning will need shift completely over to web F&R applications, allowing parents to apply and receive their student’s meal status online is the solution.

Meal Ordering systems 

Ordering systems are relatively new. There are two main types, ones that order from the classroom and ones that are accessed through a parent portal for ordering by parents at home or on their phones. Check with you technology provider to see what they have or look for other providers. These systems don’t necessarily have to be integrated with existing POS or back office systems.

Meal payments

Forms of payment and prepayment such as cash and checks, like paper rosters, fall into the category of things to be avoided. Prepayment for meals and ala-carte online, already provided by most technology companies is the obvious solution.

The challenges are many and nutrition technology companies are racing to provide affordable solutions in time for schools starting in late Summer and Fall.

Here are PCS technology solutions already available, with more to come soon.

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