Baking & Snack - October 2019 - 46

SCHOOL FOODSERVICE

College students look for
quality and variety in their
foodservice options, as well
as places to gather when
they eat on campus.
©DisobeyArt - stock.adobe.com

In response, the USDA extended the deadline to meet
the second target's requirements and has eliminated the
final target.
"It was a big concern because it was so restrictive,"
Ms. Pratt-Heavner said of the third target. "Schools are
looking to companies to help them meet those targettwo sodium limits in the coming years. They really need
to keep a close eye on sodium levels that they select. So
that's a big request from people in our field."
The USDA report indicated several ways to increase
student acceptance of lower sodium foods. One was to
use taste tests to inform students about menu changes
and identify preferred food items. Another strategy
provides more menu options that reflect students' preferences. Communicating and promoting the healthy
aspects of the food and implementing them gradually
increases acceptance, USDA reported.

Bring the world to them
In addition to targeting USDA mandates, food manufacturers must also offer variety in order to get students of
any age, elementary to university, to purchase the food.
Last year, Y-Pulse.org, a Chicago-based research firm
that studies the food industry and young consumer
trends, explored the dining expectations, attitudes and
tendencies of more than 1,000 consumers between the
ages of 18 and 34 years through multiple comprehensive
consumer studies. Five food trends, including ethical
dining and multicultural menus, are extremely popular
with younger consumers.
"We found young consumers are using a sophisticated set of criteria involving health, nutrition, ethical
concerns and culinary adventure when making dining
out decisions," said Sharon Olson, executive director of

46 Baking & Snack October 2019 / www.bakingandsnack.com

Y-Pulse.org. "These trends are most likely to have a great
impact on college campus dining in the coming years, if
not months."
According to New York-based YPulse, one in three
college students had a dining plan in 2016, and 77%
of them wished dining halls had a broader selection.
Additionally, 72% wished dining halls had more healthy
foods.
School districts are meeting this demand by offering
meals that feature international flavors and a larger selection, according to SNA's 2019 report. Almost half of
school districts are providing new international menu
items this year, and 21% are considering doing so or
testing new items in the 2019-20 school year.
And variety goes beyond just international offerings.
Customization is also critical in today's world. SNA reported that 85% of districts are now offering customizable
menu options, and 45% are providing entrée bars or stations that allow students to build their plate as they prefer.
According to Technomic, seasonal offerings have
been critical for school operators to drive baked goods
purchases. More than half of operators feel that providing seasonal items have been effective in driving purchases of breads, sweet baked goods and desserts.
"Students have high expectations from their foodservice experiences both on and off campus. Delivery,
convenience and menu innovation are all top priorities for college and university students," explained
Anne Mills, senior manager of consumer insights at
Technomic. "On top of this, they will choose companies that support causes they care about such as reducing waste or employee pay. These expectations are a lot
for operators to think about but important to address
in order to stay competitive."

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Baking & Snack - October 2019

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