Fisheries-to-School in Alaska: A Food Service Directors’ Perspective

This study uses online survey data gathered from school food service directors working for Alaska’s rural school district to understand: 1) if participating food service directors are interested in serving local fish and what aretheir preferred fish forms; 2) factors influencing their menu planning decisions; and 3) food service directors’ perceived fish preferences from students. Results show that the majority of the surveyed school districts currently serve fish. Many respondents indicated that they are interested or very interested in serving fish pattiesand burgers and fewer are interested in serving fish tacos and wraps. Price and product availability are twoimportant factors to change menu-planning decisions. About half of the surveyed respondents believed that their students like fish the same as they like other meats. Findings from this study provide insights to Alaska fish processors to help them understand school preferred fish forms and the opportunities to sell fish to schools.