On October 30, the Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Nutrition Services Department hosted its annual Food Show at Southwind High School. To participate, vendors were required to submit their nutrition and product information to MSCS dietitian Emily Papineau for review.
“I make sure the products align with the school nutrition guidelines and ensure we have a wide variety of items to test (i.e. breakfast items, lunch entrees, grain choices, fruit options, etc.),” said Papineau.
Students from 10 schools had the opportunity to sample products and vote on their favorites using a simple scoring system: green tags for “pass” or red tags for “fail.” Training Supervisor Rolandria Dunlap, who coordinated the Food Show, explained that the feedback is invaluable. This event gives MSCS students a direct voice in what foods appear in their school cafeterias.
Among the vendors was Veronica Alcatraz Saucedo, owner of Fresh Start Healthy Meals, who shared her enthusiasm for returning to the event. “This is going to be our third year at this event. Every year is so exciting because we've seen the band play.” she said. “I wish all vendors, especially because we’re manufacturers, would take the love and care to introduce culturally diverse meals.”
Students also expressed their excitement about the experience. “My favorite thing about Southwind is the community,” said Demarcus, a tenth grader at Southwind High School. “[The vendors] are very nice and there's a lot of different food.”
Marcos Luis, also a tenth grader in Southwind’s culinary program, shared his enthusiasm: “From all my years in school, it’s my first time doing something like this and I’m really excited.”
The event was filled with energy as Southwind’s media team provided music entertainment throughout the day. Nutrition Services hosted raffles for students, adding to the lively atmosphere.
At the end of the show, Clean Memphis collected leftover food and donated it to Merge Memphis, ensuring that nothing went to waste. The MSCS Food Show continues to be a celebration of community, culture, and student engagement – empowering students to help shape meals served in their schools.
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