Sodexo encourages student choice in lunch line

May 24—To woo the spending power of teen patrons, Sodexo at Vineland High School in New Jersey is focused on making lunch menus more appealing.

Mirroring the trends that tempt teens in mall food courts, Sodexo now offers a “market” station in the VHS North lunch line where students get their selections made to order.

Able to see all the ingredients on display, students select what they want on their sandwiches, wraps or salads.VHS North started out with about two dozen “market lunches” and now averages 150 per day, Neiss said. The a la carte salads, wraps or sandwiches cost $2 each, she said, noting that price doesn’t reflect the cost to students on free or reduced lunch programs.