The nutrition department focuses on ensuring students have access to healthy, balanced meals to help fuel student growth, learning and overall well-being, said Liz Raftery, director of Child Nutrition. Raftery shared updates on the Child Nutrition department during a Nov. 11 board meeting.
At a glance
DISD's Child Nutrition department is made up of 283 staff members, Raftery said. The department staff is equipped to provide over 1.4 million breakfasts and over 3.3 million lunches each year, she said.
In the 2025-26 school year, approximately 13,900 DISD students receive free lunch while about 2,500 students pay a reduced price, according to the meeting presentation.
Currently, the district's free and reduced lunch participation hovers around 47% to 49%, Raftery said.
What's changed
The district's nutritional standards have changed for the 2025-26 school year, said Alberto Garcia, assistant director of the Child Nutrition department. These changes include the reduction of added sugars and requiring that at least 80% of grains offered per week must be whole grain rich.
In the 2027-28 school year, the Child Nutrition department plans to reduce sodium content of lunch by 15% and breakfast by 10%, Garcia said.
