The Boulder Valley School District has bought a food truck in order to attract more students to school lunches. As of the moment, less than 20% of their high school students buy hot lunches at school. At Fairview High School the cafeteria is rarely used. Even those who buy lunch there opt to eat in the halls or outside.

Photo from the School Food Project FB page.

Once a week, the truck will go around the larger high schools in the district; namely Boulder, Broomfield, Centaurus, Fairview, and Monarch. “The students get to come outside and eat a nutritious lunch that’s a little different,” said Brandy Dreibelbis, Boulder Valley food services district manager. Of course, the truck also passes by the district’s offices three days a week.

Chef Ann Cooper, aka “The Renegade Lunch Lady”, with one of her customers. Photo from her website chefann.com

The truck was purchased through a $75,000 donation from Whole Foods and is part of the “School Food Project” that was launched by Chef Ann Cooper in 2009. The project has replaced the traditional school lunches in the area with freshly cooked, healthy meals whose ingredients are locally sourced and mostly organically grown.

The truck is still experimenting with its menu, but it currently serves barbecue pork sliders, quesadillas, burgers, and grilled cheese sandwiches. You can also get updates from the School Food Project FB page.