Three questions about Tucson USD’s new breakfast grab and go carts

A partnership consisting of national nonprofit GENYOUth, Arizona's Super Bowl Host Committee, the PepsiCo Foundation and district leaders from the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) recently launched the Mission 57: End Student Hunger campaign that is looking to set up 57 Grab and Go meal stations designed to serve as an option for students who may not want to wait in long lines inside the cafeteria to eat their first meal of the day.

FM approached TUSD Director of Food Services Lindsay Aguilar with three questions about the initiative…

FM: What is the rollout schedule and what equipment needs to be procured to make it happen?

Aguilar: “We will be rolling out nine new breakfast grab & go carts at nine schools over the next two months. The breakfast carts are a mobile serving cart that were donated to TUSD by Mission 57.”

FM: “What will be served, where will it be produced (or will items be purchased pre-made) and will there be a cycle or some kind of daily/weekly menu rotation? 

Aguilar: “We will offer a variety of breakfast items such as whole grain baked goods (muffins, breads bagels, etc), fruit & yogurt parfaits and whole grain cereal all offered with a variety of fruit and milk. There will be a weekly menu rotation.”

FM: What are the main benefits of this program expected to be for TUSD students, the school meal program and the district as a whole?

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Aguilar: “The benefits of the grab & go breakfast carts are making breakfast more accessible for students in areas of campus outside the cafeteria such as near the main entrance of the school. Having breakfast carts in high traffic areas increases breakfast participation resulting in more students getting a nutritious meal to start their day and benefit their academic success.”