ARLINGTON, VA – In 2021, USA Rice launched the K-12 Rice to the Rescue (RTR) program to provide support and resources to school foodservice programs and to increase rice usage in school menus. USA Rice created a dedicated
webpage for rice in schools that touts the health and nutrition benefits of U.S. rice and includes specific information on recipe production as well as a four-part instructional video series that positions U.S.-grown rice as a practical way to offset some of the challenges being faced in school meal programs across the country.
“We also wanted to engage directly with school districts so, during September National Rice Month, we offered an official sweepstakes opportunity for school nutrition professionals,” said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice director of domestic promotion. “And, we’re pleased to announce LaRetta Foxley of North Davis Preparatory Academy in Layton, Utah, as the winner!”
Foxley’s winning submission described how the K-12 RTR program had provided her with new ideas and inspiration on ways to add more rice to her school’s weekly menus. She said the training videos and other K-12 resources allowed her culinary team to teach students the benefits of rice, and share that the rice the schools served is U.S.-grown – an important point that helped increase consumption among her students.
“Thank you for the commercial rice cooker and donation of different rice varieties. It’s a nice show of support from the industry,” said Foxley. “Rice is such a versatile grain and we have used it often in our monthly international menu days when making Spanish rice, paella, and mango sweet rice. We’re excited to use it even more on our menus.”
When asked about her favorite way to serve rice, Foxley mentioned rice pudding at breakfast: “It’s a great way to start your day. Move over oatmeal, and say “hello” to delicious rice pudding or warm rice with cinnamon milk.”
Sweepstakes prizes included a Rice to the Rescue kit and a bulk 300-pound rice donation, the majority of which was brown and long grain rice, but also included arborio, medium grain, jasmine, and sprouted rice.
The school nutrition veteran said the rice has already been put to good use, “We have menued a Thai Curry Chicken with Mango Rice. We also displayed the recipes, and the award, along with all the different kinds of rice.”
Foxley distributed the recipes to her students so they can learn how to properly cook rice and replicate the dishes at home with their families, helping make rice a staple in their lives.
“Congratulations to LaRetta and North Davis Preparatory Academy,” said Jacobs. “Tomorrow just happens to be School Lunch Hero Day. On behalf of the rice industry, we thank LaRetta and her colleagues throughout the U.S. who work hard to provide healthy, rice-filled meals to nearly 30 million students each day!