DISTRICT’S FOOD SERVICES ENDS SCHOOL YEAR WITH A PROFIT OF
NEARLY $1 MILLION

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Food and Nutrition Department, which began the last school year with a deficit, turned around its operations and finished the year with a $794,000 surplus representing a recovery of $12.7 million.

“This shows that we can contain costs and limit expenditures, and still provide students nutritious, enjoyable meals that support our wellness goals,” said Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent of Schools.

Some of the measures implemented to help achieve this turnaround include having stricter inventory controls, maintaining inventories on an “as needed” basis, and reducing the number of entrée choices at breakfast and lunch from three to two.  Additionally, contracts with vendors were changed to lower the cost of distributing food products to schools.

“I just think it’s the people – they’re amazing!” said Food and Nutrition’s Administrative Director Penny Parham of the army of staff that makes up the countywide department.  “The cafeteria employees and Food and Nutrition administrators are amazingly dedicated and paid attention to every detail to make sure we did not waste anything, and at the same time served healthy meals,” she said.

Despite a year of belt-tightening, the District continued to serve quality, healthy meals, and has not cut back on important nutritional components such as fresh produce.

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