Sushi has joined the list of favorite menu items at six elementary schools in New Jersey's Hillsborough Township Public Schools. Sodexo, the official student nutrition provider for the district, prepared and served California rolls to 400 adventurous students at lunch in late September, far exceeding the foodservice provider's expectations.

"High school students have pegged sushi as a favorite for years, so we thought it was time to bring it to our elementary school students," said Katherine Major, general manager for Sodexo's operations at Hillsborough Township Public Schools. "The response to the California rolls was overwhelming. Not only did the students love it, but I heard from both parents and district administrators that were excited and surprised by our sushi offering."

Major and her team of culinary experts prepared the California rolls in the school cafeteria. Using fresh ingredients including avocado, seedless cucumbers, imitation crab meat, seasoned sushi rice and nori, the team rolled the sushi by hand the day they were served. The freshly prepared sushi exceeds Sodexo's strict food safety standards.

Each student received six rolls, along with soy sauce and wasabi on the side. The meal was rounded out with milk, fresh fruits and vegetables and a bread basket, along with a fortune cookie. The sushi meal is available to students as part of the USDA's National School Lunch Program and meets or exceeds all USDA nutritional guidelines.

"The great thing about sushi is that it allows students to enjoy a meal that is truly healthy for them in a package that is both fun and delicious," added Major. "One of our biggest challenges is finding creative ways to help students get the nutrition they need to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle and sushi does just that."

The first elementary school sushi offering was so popular that Sodexo will be bringing it back to the menu again in November. The team plans to tempt the students’ young palates with a spicy shrimp roll.

Sodexo celebrates National School Lunch Week Oct. 12 to 19 and is committed to take measurable sustainable actions that ensure a brighter future in the areas of health and wellness, environmental stewardship and community development. Sodexo School Services focuses on nutrition, achievements, environment, community and activity to promote student well-being.

Sodexo, Inc.
Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com) is a leading integrated facilities management services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in annual revenue and 120,000 employees. Sodexo serves more than ten million customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, government, and remote sites. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., is a member of Sodexo Group, and funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $11 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

Sodexo

Sodexo

Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com ) is a leading integrated facilities management services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in annual revenue and 120,000 employees. Sodexo serves more than ten million customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, government, and remote sites. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., is a member of Sodexo Group, and funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.sodexofoundation.org ), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $11 million in grants to fight hunger in America.

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