The impacts of the Coronavirus are unprecedented.
This pandemic brings new developments every day...limiting what we can do outside our homes, stipulating how many people we can gather with, guiding us on how much water and toilet paper we can buy at the store. The list goes on. These mandates vary by state but we are starting to see commonalities, one of which is schools closing for several weeks or even the rest of the academic year.
As a father of 7 kids, one of the first things I thought was, “how am I going to ensure these kids stay healthy, entertained and educated during this time...without driving us all crazy.” As the Chief Evangelist of Nutrislice, my primary concern is at another level, “how are we going to ensure that school kids who need meals receive them in a healthy, efficient and reliable way.”
For those that might not be familiar with us, Nutrislice helps foodservice operators provide a digital guest experience that’s designed to be as informative as it is engaging. K-12 schools are a critical key market for us. We provide digital menus with nutritional information on the day’s meals both onsite and through mobile applications. Traditionally, these offerings have helped guests experience the convenience, personalization, and access to information that come with technology. In this pandemic, our technology becomes instrumental in ensuring kids get fed.
How we are helping
School nutrition operators are partnering with Nutrislice to streamline emergency food service operations by allowing customers to pre-order meals. With pre-ordering, the quantity of meals needed is known ahead of time. If menu options are offered, customers can select from the limited menu and choose a predetermined pick-up location. Getting "counts" for meal quantities ahead of time reduces food waste, saves dollars and ensures more accurate service. It also allows customers to quickly pick up their food without waiting in long serving lines. Read this article in the Las Vegas Review Journal to see how schools in Clark County are taking advantage of our technology.
Because of the severity of this situation and our dedication to getting this technology into more schools as soon as possible, we are offering these capabilities free for a limited time. You can find out more info by emailing FoodContinuity2020@nutrislice.com.
What’s next
While I am incredibly proud of my company for taking this bold step, as Chief Evangelist it’s my job to also think ahead. It is quite possible that many schools will stay closed for the duration of this academic year. Coming back too quickly from these initial measures could result in the suppressed disease making a fierce comeback. So if schools choose to focus on remote learning, what then?
They will need to find better ways to get meals to kids, especially in districts that fall in low socioeconomic areas where children depend on school-provided lunches (and sometimes even breakfasts or dinners). One scenario we see playing out here is a focus on delivery. Through Nutrislice, children can select their desired food options online in the morning, as well as set their location for drop offs. Then through a sort of “reverse-engineered bus route” those meals will be delivered in time for lunch. In this scenario, schools get access to accurate order information and kids don’t have to find some way to get to school to pick up their meal. This will be especially important as parents go back to work. This type of delivery service could also be provided through food banks, senior services and other organizations tasked with getting meals to those that need them most.
I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers as it relates to the wide-ranging ramifications of this virus. But like many other people out there across industries, it’s critical that we devise plans for a range of scenarios. As much as we would all like life to go back to normal quickly, we need to prepare for this thing having a prolonged effect. At Nutrislice we will continue to discuss bold strategies and provide the help foodservice providers need now and into the future. I welcome comments and requests to discuss these ideas in more detail and can be reached at mike@nutrislice.com. Stay safe, healthy and fed in these uncertain times.
