At Randolph-Macon Academy (R-MA), we work hard to ensure our students get the energy they need from the food we serve on-campus. Usually starting around noon until around 1—1:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, R-MA students have an hour in which they can go for lunch break before resuming their classes for the day. We do our utmost to make sure each of our students are receiving nutritious, high-quality meals with our dining services, thanks to the substantial resources we’ve put toward this component of R-MA life.
Read on to find out how Randolph-Macon Academy’s dining services gives our students the nutrition they need for everyday life at our private school.
Our College Preparatory School’s Philosophy With Food
Using fresh, local ingredients, R-MA strives to serve food of the highest possible quality to our students. Our ingredients are never chemically preserved or prepared, nor do we use chemical additives such as MSG (monosodium glutamate). Ingredients used at R-MA all come from local suppliers and farmers, thanks to partnerships we have with four different Virginia farms. The hydroponic lettuce served in many of our dishes, meanwhile, is grown by ourselves! Our recipes are also all made from scratch, and we make food in small batches so that all of our students get the same high-quality meal across the board. In fact, we also use something called “The Scratch Factor®,” which is a metric determining how much of the food we cook was done from scratch.
Not only do we make meals to satisfy our students regardless of their varying dietary needs and preferences, we also endeavor to educate them on the importance of good nutrition. That includes learning about the history and science behind what they eat. Furthermore, the SAGE Spotlight Program® is used to help students better understand the nutritional value of each food item. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our private academy has tailored its approach to making and serving food in ways that keep our students safe and healthy. Our staff have continued to prepare high-quality meals, while adhering to industry best practices for safe dining during these unprecedented times.
Menu Options and R-MA’s Commitment to Food Sustainability
Our menu options change frequently to offer our students variety, and Randolph-Macon Academy aims to satisfy the daily cravings of our students by offering a diverse array of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Our food is designed to give students international dining experiences, with cuisine influences coming from such nations as Italy, India, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. To further emphasize our commitment to locally-grown food and preparing meals from scratch, we make salad dressings and stocks ourselves. With our meats, we use grass-fed pork and beef, as well as antibiotic, cage-free turkeys and chickens. The deli meats we use are also house-roasted, and contain no nitrates. Moreover, we work alongside humane USDA farms to cut and process the meat we serve. Various protein options are also available for vegetarian and vegan students.
Students at our college preparatory school with concerns about our approach to food will be pleased to learn that we also use antibiotic and hormone-free 2% milk while cooking, and soy milk is also available when requested. We also support sustainable fishing and fair trade, as well as the use of biodegradable cutlery and recyclable cardboard boxes.
Want your child to attend one of the top private schools in Virginia?
Contact Randolph-Macon Academy today for more info!