Dear Students, Parents, and Caregivers, August 2019

As Food Service Director for the Aspen School District, I would like to extend a warm welcome back to another exciting school year. 

LUNCH PRICING: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL $4.50 MIDDLE SCHOOL $5.00      HIGH SCHOOL $6.50 

Each meal includes; a hot entrée, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and milk. As an added bonus for our students, we offer a diverse and ever changing salad bar supplied with fresh fruits and vegetables and salads that are determined by the growing seasons, market availability, and price. We try to bring in items that are new and exciting while bringing new flavors that the students might not otherwise get to try. 

We have continued to make positive changes to the school meals and want to encourage you and your children to participate in the school lunch program.  One of the most important things you can do for your children’s education and well-being is assure they are well fed both at home and in school. Allowing and encouraging your children to eat school lunch not only helps assure their health and academic ability, but it also supports the Food Service Department and, hence, the entire school district.  The more students who eat meals at school, the more financially viable the program becomes.

The Aspen School District Food Service Department has been working extremely hard to bring delicious/nutritious food to all of the students on campus. All schools are equipped with Salad Bars stocked with farm fresh produce. We have eliminated all processed food, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, chemicals, dyes, additives and the like. Conversely we have enhanced the food we’re serving our children by serving Colorado milk with the option to purchase organic milk.  We use whole wheat or whole grains in all of our baked products, local and/or organic fruits and vegetables as much as possible and local beef supplied by Mountain Primal Meat Co. of Emma, Colorado.

We truly make the health and wellbeing of all Aspen School District students our main priority. We cook fresh whole foods for all of the students-everyday, and the food that we don’t make, is made by local companies to our specification. To assure the quality of the food, we’ve instituted professional development for all of the staff and worked with our entire team to guarantee safe, delicious, healthy food every day for every student at every meal.

Along with your child’s well-being we are also striving to help take care of the planet. We continue to work with the schools to assure composting and recycling at every school. All kitchen food waste is added to our on campus earth tub that is then transferred to our school garden.  These valuable lessons, along with healthy/delicious/thoughtful eating as well as cooking and gardening are a mainstay of the Food Service Department.

We hope you will join us in helping your children make healthy food choices in school and at home.  Together we can help raise a new generation of healthier and better educated young people. Once again, I am excited to be fueling your  children’s needs and look forward to introducing new foods and tastes to you children’s palates.

For more information regarding food services and menus please go to our web site at www.aspenk12.net and click the link to “Food Services” or the knife and fork icon on the top right tool bar.

Join us for lunch sometime or on our special events, we welcome parent volunteers  in our kitchens and garden anytime if you would like to learn more about our program.

Tenille Folk

Chef/Food Service Director

Aspen School District

EMAIL:tfolk@aspenk12.net or PHONE 970-925-3760 x 1137