Community Education Health & Wellness
For the first time in 40 years, Peninsula School District will be contracting with a new food service provider.
The school board on June 3 approved a contract with Aramark, which promises to “elevate” students’ palettes with an emphasis on locally sourced foods and “Blue Zone” menus centered around plant-based, whole foods.
The district was not unhappy with Sodexo, the current company, CFO Ashley Murphy said. But school leaders wanted a competitive bid process that set high standards for meal quality. Six companies, including Aramark and Sodexo, responded to the district’s “request for proposal” posted in April.
Upcoming changes
Prices will increase next year by 10 cents per meal for breakfasts and lunches at all grade levels, not because of the new contract but because of federal requirements for districts participating in the National School Lunch Program. Students who qualify for free- and reduced-cost meals will continue to have no charge.
Current food service staff now working as Sodexo employees will have the option to retain their positions under Aramark.
High expectations
PSD Superintendent Krestin Bahr is a strong proponent of science-backed research on nutrition, sometimes called the Blue Zone diet. Menus emphasize plant-based, high nutrient ingredients. Meat and dairy are used but less heavily.
Peninsula schools will be trending in that direction, according to Bahr.
“When we were putting together our RFP (request for proposal), we were pretty clear. There are some of us that really wanted to look at Blue Zones, looking at scratch foods, whole foods,” Bahr said.
“This generation of parents have really high expectations,” she said, noting the popularity of Bento boxes, especially in elementary cafeterias.
The district also wants to buy from local farmers and producers as much as possible.
Companies bid for contract
Peninsula School District is one of a handful of public-school districts in Washington state to contract out its food service. It has done so for 40 years. Districts must renew contracts every four years, typically a one-year contract with the option to extend for up to three years.
Murphy, new to the district in 2021, said she hadn’t researched the history of how contracts were awarded in the past, but documents show Sodexo to be the sole provider over the past four decades.
The district tailored its competitive bid process toward quality and customer service, Murphy said. “What we did not want was just the lowest responsive bidder. We created an RFP that would meet the needs of our students, our community and our staff, and we did so extremely intentionally.”
What Aramark offers
Aramark’s bid highlights the company’s focus on local, sustainably sourced ingredients. Examples of items made from scratch were vegetable and meat empanadas, sweet and savory hummus, fresh pico salsa, grain bowls and panini.
Specialty menu items developed by Aramark chefs in other areas included a “Spicy Beef Teryaki Gyro,” Harvest Grain Bowl and a Bahn Mi Sandwich. Not that these items will be available at PSD, at least early in the school year. The district, in its RFP, included a 21-day menu that Aramark will follow initially.
The company not only meets but exceeds current federal standards for things like fat, sugar and salt content, which have been gradually becoming more restrictive. Andrew Dobbins, director of business development for Aramark, told the school board that the company continuously adjusts its menus to anticipate new regulations before they go into effect.
The company in its RFP also touted its environmental responsibility, using all recyclable materials and waste reduction strategies.
Serving what students will eat
Dobbins said Aramark customized their proposed 21-day menu was for Peninsula School District’s service area, which encompasses Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula.
“The understanding was that it wasn’t just to match students’ tastes but to elevate them,” Dobbins said. “We wanted to make sure we matched the culture of Gig Harbor.”
He said Aramark’s menu would go beyond tacos, pizza, “some variation of a chicken sandwich and a burger,” although the proposed menus include plenty of familiar favorites. Examples of palette-stretching items from their proposed 9-12 menu would be Turkey Barbacoa Tacos with Corn Pico Salsa and Cilantro Lime Rice, and a Sriracha Crunch Cheeseburger.
Surveys and tasting events
“One of the main premises is how we build our menus,” Dobbins said. “So, we start with student insights on what do students typically enjoy at each age level, and then we apply that regionally, like, specifically to Gig Harbor. What are the students eating?”
The company plans to survey students, form menu advisory committees, and host tasting events for families and the community.
“We’re incorporating more made-to-order options, as well as, leaning into, like the Asian cuisines because that was a big high point of discussion we had,” Dobbins said. “So, it’s just making sure that everything we do is custom-tailored.”
Meal prices for 2025-26
Schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program must adjust their prices annually using an “equity tool” from the Department of Education. The calculation formula factors in a district’s median income and other demographic information, current meal prices and inflation to generate a per meal minimum charge.
Based on DOE guidelines, the district will charge 10 cents more per meal across all grade levels, pending school board approval in July. Elementary student meals will be $2 for breakfast and $3.25 for lunch. Middle and high school students will pay $2.10 for breakfast and $3.50 for lunch. Students who qualify for free- and reduced-cost meals will pay nothing, as stated above.
Portion sizes
Responding to a question about portion size, Dobbins said federal regulations tied to the National School Lunch Program dictate servings. Students are welcome to go back for seconds, Dobbins said.
Murphy said the district would like to see more students filling up on fresh fruits and veggies at the salad bar. Aramark and the district plan to tout those offerings in cafeterias with signage and special events, and through other nutrition education initiatives.
“That educational piece is going to be something that Aramark is taking on in order to help our students expand their palettes,” Murphy said.
Food service budget
Peninsula School District projects revenue for its 2025-26 food service of just under $3.5 million, nearly $1 million of which comes from the National School Lunch Program. Roughly $2 million is covered by “local sales,” meal payments from families that don’t qualify financially for free- and reduced-cost meals. National School Breakfast Program subsidies, plus other federal and state aid, make up the rest.
The district will pay around $65,000 out of its general fund to cover a total of $3,560,609, Aramark’s projected cost to deliver more than 800,000 meals and snacks throughout the coming school year. Aramark’s cost per meal is $4.42, which is lower than the current cost of $4.64.
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