BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Public School District is one step closer to creating a healthier and tastier meal experience for students.
A status update for the Buffalo Public Schools' new district commissary building was shared at a meeting where renderings of the new building were released Thursday night.
The building will be constructed right across the current commissary building that sits on East Delavan Avenue.
"There's the process of taking the food in, preparing the food as you would in your kitchen with fresh farm ingredients, a lot of it local-sourced," said BPS Chief Operating Officer David Hills. "They are then, freezing to send to the schools. On site, we have 88 sites. They will be warmed, plated and distributed."
Hills said he has been negotiating with McGuire Development to build a commissary for the past two years.
Once negotiations are over, they will start construction and lease the facility, which will be about 60,000 square feet.
"I noticed everyone is working hard. I know they are trying their best to improve the school food system. Though, it is my last year of high school, I am a little sad that I won't be able to see everyone's hard work," 12th-grade student Daliah Alsayadi said. "The halal food that they're going to have, I think that's very important to have. I am Muslim so I didn't get to see a lot of halal food in cafeterias," Alsayadi said. "I know there are people who eat kosher and some Christians that don't eat pork."
The new program will include scratch cooking, fresh and locally grown ingredients and increased diversity in meal options.
BPS School Board Member Terrence Heard: "A lot of children come to school to eat. We look at these different variations in food and religion and choices in food to make sure that we can address every nationality and religion in the City of Buffalo."
"I have a high schooler a kindergartner and a first grader. We look at the menu and sometimes they'll pack their Bento box. Sometimes, we get school lunch. We love veggie nuggets. It's a favorite. We usually get that," Buffalo Public Schools Board Member-elect Adrianna Zullich said. "I am excited to see things like kale and when we partner with farms and local produce."
"Right now, we are very limited on what we can do. What we'll be able to do is a vision that I think people don't even realize. You know when you have a plan and sometimes, when it's built, you go 'We can do this and we can do this' and there's going to be so many options. It'll be available to our students, our community, our staff," BPS Food Service Department Director Ruth Conner said.
A groundbreaking is expected next spring.
Hills says he expects the new commissary to be ready by the fall or winter of 2026.
