Moffat County schools serve up nutrition, community and local connections
Program secures grant to purchase local meat, produce
John CamponeschiFollow
jcamponeschi@craigdailypress.com
For students across Moffat County School District, the school cafeteria is about more than getting something to eat. It is a place where students can start the day with breakfast, refuel at lunch and connect with familiar staff members who help make schools feel welcoming
Driving that opportunity for connection is the district’s food service department, which works to provide nutritious meals while meeting federal requirements, managing rising food costs and finding foods students will enjoy
Led by Food Service Director Laura Mouriquand, MCSD Nutrition operates the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and Summer Food Service Program.
During the 2025-26 school year, the district served 287,336 lunches and 144,731 breakfasts
Participation has grown in recent years, particularly since MCSD began participating in Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program in March 2024. The program allows students to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day
Mouriquand said making meals available to all students has also helped reduce the stigma that can sometimes be associated with eating school meals
Breakfast participation has continued to grow, though Mouriquand said increasing it further remains one of her goals. At Sandrock Elementary, the district also offers Breakfast After the Bell. Students who arrive late can pick up a grab-and-go breakfast and eat it in the classroom
Planning those meals involves balancing student preferences with detailed federal nutrition standards
Menus are designed around different grade groups, including prekindergarten, kindergarten through fifth grade, sixth through eighth grade and ninth through 12th grade. Meals must meet requirements involving fruits, vegetables, grains, meats or meat alternatives and milk. They must also meet standards for calories, whole grains, sodium and saturated fat
Those standards are intended to ensure students receive meals appropriate for their growth and activity levels, but Mouriquand said meeting the guidelines while serving foods students are excited to eat requires flexibility and creativity.
She monitors student feedback and participation and observes what students leave behind on their trays. When an item does not prove popular, recipes can be adjusted, seasonings changed or another product introduced
“My goal is to serve meals that are both nutritious and appealing, so students are excited to eat school breakfast and lunch,” Mouriquand said
Some meals have already become student favorites, such as the Super Nacho, which is made with ground beef and served with freshly made pico de gallo. Orange chicken served over brown rice is another favorite
The district is also working to strengthen connections between school meals and Colorado agriculture
Mouriquand regularly purchases Colorado-grown produce through a vendor that delivers to Craig, though local sourcing can be more difficult and expensive in a rural district, where fewer vendors and longer transportation routes can limit availability
For the 2026-27 school year, Mouriquand secured a $36,764 Local Food Program grant. The funding will allow the district to purchase local ground beef from Snowden Ranch for taco and nacho meals. Additional funds will support the purchase of Colorado Proud products for Colorado Proud Day
The grant is part of a larger effort to bring outside funding into the district’s nutrition program. Mouriquand has secured grant funding during each of the past three years, including the Healthy Meals Incentives Grant and three years of Local Food Program funding
Careful budgeting remains essential as food prices continue to rise
Mouriquand said inflation affects school kitchens much like it affects families shopping for groceries. The department continues to offer items such as salad bars at lunch and fresh fruit when possible, despite the higher cost of those foods
At the same time, Healthy School Meals for All can help families by reducing the amount they need to spend on breakfast and lunch during the school week
The department also works with families of students who have food allergies or medical dietary needs. Once required documentation is received, meals are modified in accordance with U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements
When the regular school year ends, the district’s nutrition work continues
This summer, MCSD operated three Summer Food Service Program sites. The Boys & Girls Club provided breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, while summer school students at Sandrock Elementary received breakfast and lunch Monday through Thursday. Those students also received grab-and-go bags containing meals for Friday through Sunday
At Moffat County High School, families could pick up meals twice a week. Tuesday distributions included three days of breakfasts and lunches, while Friday distributions included four days of meals
Mouriquand said she hopes to continue expanding summer participation. During a Colorado Department of Education administrative review of the summer feeding program, the district received no corrective actions, meaning the program was operating in full compliance with USDA and state requirements
While nutrition, regulations and budgets are central to the department’s work, Mouriquand said food service employees also play an important role in school culture
Staff members greet students at breakfast and interact with nearly every student during lunch. Many food service employees have children attending district schools themselves, giving them another connection to the students they serve
The department also helps bring families together through events such as the district’s annual Thanksgiving meal, when family members can join students for lunch
Through those everyday interactions, Mouriquand said food service employees have an opportunity to make students feel recognized and cared for
As the district looks ahead, Mouriquand’s priorities include increasing breakfast participation, continuing the growth of the summer meal program and building on efforts to serve fresh, local food while meeting high nutrition standards and creating an experience students enjoy and families can count on
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