FSD News: Houston Schools Roll-out 'Healthier' Pizza

A new pizza served to schoolkids in Houston is selling like hotcakes...er, pie. Clink the link above for more details and more non-commercial foodservice news.

For more information on these and other articles, watch for the April 15, 2003, issue of FoodService Director. Call Editor in Chief James Pond at 646/654-7403 with editorial questions.

HOUSTON PIZZA GETS 'SMART'
A new and healthier pizza introduced in Houston (TX) Independent School District high schools has increased reimbursable meal volume by 1,800 meals a day. HISD planned to have the new item rolled out district-wide by mid-April. HISD replaced its former daily pizza offering--a wedge sliced pizza--with a 5-in round personal pizza referred to as "Smart Pizza." It comes in a pizzeria-style cardboard box and is relatively lower in fat and sodium than other pizza products, according to Brandon Maxwell, Aramark spokesperson at HISD.

Schwans Food Service makes the pizza and worked with HISD to create a healthier version of this student favorite. The pizza is delivered to the schools pre-assembled and is baked on-site the day it is served.

UNIV. OF GEORGIA BREAKS GROUND
Univ. of Georgia Food Services has begun construction of a new, $14.5-million East Campus Commons that will house a foodcourt, c-store, commissary and dining hall for meal plans. Completion target: Aug. 2004. The univ. also plans to expand its central food storage facility for 10,000 square feet.

CHEFS TRAINING MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL FOODSERVICE STAFF
Gulfport (MS) Schools are inviting guest chefs to train cafeteria workers, according to that city's Sun Herald, while encouraging kids to adopt healthy eating habits. Deborah Chatagnier, fsd, also limits sugary desserts, banned whole milk and embraces the food pyramid. Four area master chefs helped adapt restaurant techniques to large-quantity food production.

US AIRWAYS SELLING MEALS IN-FLIGHT
US Airways is the latest air carrier to pilot-test the sale of in-flight meals, using LSG Sky Chefs' In-flight Cafe program (see Feb. 15, 2003, FSD, p. 16). In this case, the two-week test featured items from bagel chain Einstein Bros.: a $7 breakfast of coffee cake, fresh mixed fruit, Yoplait yogurt and juice; and a $10, Club Mex lunch/dinner comprising a smoked turkey and pepper Jack sandwich, Kettle Classic potato chips, salad, water and Einstein's signature Chocolate Truffle cookie.

'MEATLESS MONDAY' PROPOSED TO BATTLE OBESITY
"Meatless Monday" is a new, national campaign designed "to help Americans take one day off from meat week," in order to reduce and saturated fat consumption by 15% by 2010. The campaign is spearheaded by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and other public health schools.

HFM HIRES BOYLE COMMUNICATIONS
The Natl. Society for Healthcare Foodservice Mgmt. has hired Boyle Communications, based in Derwood, MD, to handle public relations for the association and to bring member stories to the healthcare and foodservice press. Heading the firm is Kathy Boyle, former vice pres. of public relations for Sodexho; she's joined by Jeanette Jurkiewicz, also a former Sodexho PR staffer.

HFM also announced the theme for its upcoming conference in Tucson: "Nourishing Your Passion...An Appetite for Growth." See below for date and location.

NASHVILLE HOSP.SWITCHES TO STARBUCKS
Foodservice sales at a coffee kiosk in St. Thomas's Hospital in Nashville have tripled since switching from a minimal coffee urn set-up to a full-service Starbucks concept. The expanded menu line-up, which now includes pastries, teas and chai, along with branded retail products, has also helped to boost check averages by about a dollar. Weekly sales went from $1,000 to $3,300. Dawn Guidry, Sodexho's general manager of Nutrition & Food Services for the 550-bed property, says a combination of brand-name recognition, location, product variety and employee attitude is responsible for the dramatic sales upswing. "We used to offer Starbucks brand coffee just from several urns, but the kiosk has expanded our offerings to include a variety of hot beverages, flavored coffees, even iced teas and chai," says Guidry.

2003 FOODSERVICE EVENT REMINDER
--NRA, May 17-20, Chicago, (312) 853-2525
--ASHFSA, June 20-July 2, Braselton, GA, (312) 422-3870
--NACUFS, July 8-12, Kansas City, MO, (517) 332-2494
--ASFSA, July 20-23, Reno, NV, (703) 739-3900
--DMA, July 20-24, Orlando, FL, (630) 587-6336
--ACFSA, Aug. 3-7, Baltimore, (952) 928-4658
--HFM, Aug. 19-23, Tucson, AZ, (202) 546-7236
--NAFEM, Sept. 5-7, New Orleans, (312) 821-0201
--SFM, Oct. 1-4, Anaheim, CA, (502) 583-3783
--ADA, Oct. 25-28, San Antonio, TX, (800) 877-1600