Dining
Our Meals program connects students to the myriad roles that food plays in our lives, as well as the ecological, scientific, economic, and cultural dimensions of the plate. The school’s communal daily meals are foundational to the curriculum. At lunchtime, students are provided a full hour to nourish their bodies and their minds with meals that illustrate and amplify our educational mission. Students are involved in growing and harvesting increasing quantities of food for school meals, and will even help with food preparation in our teaching kitchen.
We do not allow outside food on campus, but we do provide options for those with dietary restrictions. Aside from our main option, we always provide a salad bar, a sandwich station, and a gluten free, dairy free, and vegan option.
Lunch Menu Planning Project
As part of a Meals class, students worked on the Thaden School lunch menu. This impressive student-led initiative committed to promoting nutrition, balanced meals and sustainability while celebrating our diverse community. With a strong emphasis on affordability and creativity, students created a school lunch menu with meals that can be easily replicated at home for a family of four, under $20. Additionally, they've forged a partnership with Walmart to streamline meal planning with an easy add-to-cart feature. The menu and add-to-cart feature will be available in the spring of 2024. Students also developed informative recipe how-to guides to empower cooks of all experience levels. This Meals project has allowed students to immerse themselves in the realms of nutrition and sustainability, resulting in a dining experience that reflects a dedication to quality, affordability, and community celebration.