MOKANE, Mo. - So far this school year, South Callaway's Bulldog Bakeshop has baked 500 cupcakes, 630 cookies and 40 birthday cakes - all of which met the Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards.
Members of the Bulldog Bakeshop gave a presentation to the South Callaway R-2 School Board of Education Wednesday night.
The bakeshop, which is comprised of high school students, makes sweet and savory food - items ranging from muffins and cinnamon rolls to breakfast pizza and burritos. Students sell their creations at their "coffee shop" in the school each Wednesday morning before the morning bell rings. They also take orders for various classes and birthday celebrations.
The bakeshop is one example of problem or project-based learning (PBL) in the district. PBLs focus on critical thinking and problem solving.
In the bakeshop this year, students involved were given the guiding question, "How can we offer Smart Snack eligible foods that are profitable in Bulldog Bakeshop Coffee Shop?"
All of the food produced follows Smart Snacks in Schools standards, which require all foods sold to students at school to meet one of the following: whole grain; ¼ cup fruit or vegetable; 10 percent of daily value of calcium, potassium, vitamin D or fiber; or contain fruit, vegetables, dairy or protein as the first ingredient.
Students running the bakeshop had to research recipes, copy the information over into myfitnesspals.com, use the smartsnack.com calculator to determine the recipe's nutrition information, test the recipe then sell the finished product and record customer data.
The bakeshop tracks what foods sell well and which ones don't. They also sell hot chocolate, coffee and juice in their "coffee shop" before school. Everything in the bakeshop is $1 and meets the nutrition guidelines for Smart Snacks.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) established Smart Snacks in Schools standards to provide "practical, science-based nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages sold to children at school during the school day," according to the USDA's program fact sheet.
It is an effort to limit children's junk food and encourage healthy snacking. That effort is something Angie Kropf, South Callaway family and consumer science teacher, described as a "good learning experience" for the students involved.
The students who presented to the school board Wednesday night shared some of their recipes - good and bad. The students said their top seller is pizza.
In other news, Superintendent Kevin Hillman said schools still haven't received a lot of information about state assessment testing for the spring. He hopes to have a better idea of what the state tests will look at the board's March meeting.
Also, school administrators reported rising attendance rate. The district had lower attendance rates due to a significant number of illnesses in November and December. Early Childhood Learning Center Principal Leigh Dunlap said attendance in her building has been better this semester so far.