Message from Deputy Head of School

On Tuesday, September 20, the OIS Food Committee held its initial meeting for the 2016-17 academic year.  The committee consists of 8 parent representatives (2 from EY, 3 from Primary, and 3 from Secondary), regional and school-based Sodexo staff members, and members of the OIS management team.
 
Following brief presentations by the OIS and Sodexo members, the parent representatives were able to observe lunch being served to students in Senior Kindergarten, and then helped themselves to lunch in our Primary & Secondary Cafeteria.  The reviews were quite good:  all agreed the food was excellent in taste and appearance and very similar to what they would serve at home.
 
Afterward, we spent some time talking about suggestions to improve our food service.  One recommendation focused on menu labeling, noting that the names we give to certain dishes correspond to what one would find in restaurants, where food is typically heavily spiced or loaded with not-so-healthy ingredients.  Instead, the names should reflect the fact that the food served by Sodexo is healthier, tastier, and much closer to home-cooking.  We have already acted to implement this suggestion.
 
We also talked about how we can encourage students to try all of the food on offer, rather than loading up their trays with just one or two items that they prefer.  In the lower grades, in particular, teachers do encourage students to try different items, but we all agreed that parents play a central role in exposing children to a variety of foods and building healthy habits at home.  By the time they reach school and can make choices for themselves, they will be much better prepared to make the right choices.
 
It was a very productive session for all involved.  Our school management team provided an overview of food service at OIS.  It was quite surprising for some to learn that Sodexo serves over 1,500 meals per day!  On a monthly basis, that number comes to over 30,000!  Our Sodexo staff shared information about the policies and procedures that both support their operations at our school and ensure that our students are eating healthy and wholesome food that is prepared fresh daily (I am attaching this presentation for your information).  We also identified several ways in which we have improved the food service at OIS since the start of this academic year:

1. We have reduced the number of items on the daily menu and reduced the menu rotation from three weeks to two weeks.  This allows us to offer dishes that are more popular on a more frequent basis.  We will continue to offer Indian and Continental options.
   
2. We have expanded the offering of fresh fruits so that students are not faced with the same items each day.  So far, we have been able to offer bananas and different types of melon.  We are also looking to take advantage of fruits that become available within India on a seasonal basis.
   
3. We have moved the self-service option down to Grade 2.  These students will be assisted in filling their trays, and we hope to eventually do the same with our Grade 1 students.
4. We continue to make certain that we offer a balanced lunch in which all the food groups are represented.

 Finally, the parent representatives agreed to be a first point of contact for other parents who have questions or suggestions to improve food service.  If you have something that you would like to have passed on to the Food Committee, please drop an email to the representative for your child’s division.
 
Early Years:               Ms. Krupa Bhimani:  Krupa.b@gmail.com
Ms. Jarna Doshi:  Jarnadoshi@gmail.com
 
Primary School:         Ms. Alpa Jhariya:  Alpajhariya@gmail.com
Ms. Sonal Khanduja:  sonikhanduja@gmail.com
Ms. Harini Maru:  harinimaru@gmail.com
 
Secondary School:      Ms. Kanchan Wadi Dhingra:  k_wadi@yahoo.com
Ms. Geetanjali Chitale:  g_chitale@yahoo.com
Ms. Sonali Kumar:  sonalik360@hotmail.com

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Sodexo Presentation