Riverside Unified is preparing to feed thousands of students this school year

The ovens are hot, and the menus are being prepped ahead of a new school year at Riverside Poly High School.

Mike Vioral is the director of nutrition services for Riverside Unified School District.

"The best part of my job is knowing that students eat something nutritious daily to fuel their brains to learn in the classrooms," he said.

At Riverside Unified, a whole team helps determine the meals that fuel the bellies and brains of its 42,000 students. Nutritionists help cultivate a menu that's low in sodium and saturated fat and full of plenty of fruits and vegetables.

"At all of our elementary schools, we offer a daily salad bar offering students eight to 10 different fruits and vegetables," Vioral said.

But it is not your average salad bar. The district works with local farmers to serve a farm-to-table salad bar. This partnership means the students are introduced to new produce, including dragon fruit and Tokyo turnips.

Every year, students also get to taste-test and add new meals to the menu.

"We have three new recipes we're trying out," Vioral said. "One of them is a carne asada fry. It uses the beef we get from USDA."

In California, every student receives breakfast and lunch, but at Riverside Unified, these meals are especially important because nearly 50% of its students would be eligible for free lunches.

Vioral says the district serves about 23,000 lunches a day; 8,000 students pick up breakfast, and they also serve dinner to 6,000 students.

And with grocery costs going up, Vioral reminds parents to lean on their school for help.

"We can save you some money at home by having your student eat with us," he says.