Hemet Unified School District’s Nutrition Services team is working to ensure more students start their day fueled and ready to learn. As part of their strategic action plan, the department has set a goal to increase average breakfast participation by 7.5% across all school sites by May 2026, using monthly meal participation data to guide their progress.
Early results show that intentional strategies are already making a meaningful impact. The introduction of a second-chance breakfast program at Cottonwood led to an immediate 24% increase in participation, followed by an additional 10% increase over the next three months, demonstrating the importance of flexible access to meals for students.
Nutrition Services has also focused on building strong engagement across school sites by involving staff directly in the improvement process. Through site-based feedback meetings, student taste-testing opportunities, customized menus, and manager check-ins, teams have gathered valuable input to better align breakfast offerings with student preferences and school schedules. These efforts have strengthened staff ownership of the goal and generated site-specific ideas to increase participation.
Data shows steady progress toward the department’s goal. Districtwide breakfast participation increased from 28.56% in August to 31.58% in November, demonstrating positive momentum as new strategies take effect.
Nutrition Services continues to refine its approach by expanding successful programs such as Fresh Breakfast events and second-chance breakfast opportunities, while prioritizing outreach to student groups with the greatest opportunity for growth.
Through innovation, collaboration, and a student-centered focus, the Nutrition Services team is helping ensure more students have access to nutritious meals—supporting both student wellness and academic success across Hemet Unified.