Bright purple bus brings summer fun to Bowling Green (Ky.) Independent School District

Tara Fitzpatrick

During the pandemic, the school food team at Bowling Green Independent School District (BGISD) used their purple bus just to make deliveries. Now, the bus is rolling into summer meal sites, where kids can climb aboard and experience the bus as it was intended.

In conjunction with weekly meal kits being picked up at the junior high, the purple bus takes hot and cold lunch items to eight sites around the district Monday through Friday. All kids under 18 can get lunch and a take-home breakfast for the next day.

Photo: The converted bus interior is ‘50s diner-style, with booths for kids to have lunch.

The culinary team is working with local farmers this summer and the resulting menu items, like the roasted cauliflower side dish that recently debuted to rave reviews.

Having the option to eat lunch inside the air-conditioned bus at little booths has brought a lot of smiles so far, says says Della Emerson, director of food service operations.

“It’s awesome,” Emerson says. “We’re in love with our bus. You can see it from a mile away and it provides the kids a little escape.”