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Gwinnett Schools on back up plan after Hostess announces shutdown

LILBURN, Ga. — The pending Hostess shutdown is affecting lunch menus at the state's largest school district.

Hostess was the fresh bread supplier for Gwinnett County's 128 school cafeterias.

But when word came last Friday the company was shutting down, it left Gwinnett Schools in a bind to find a new supplier.

The school district told Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh they are making adjustments until a new one is found.

"It was a bit of a surprise when we got that information," said Karen Hallford, nutrition education coordinator for Gwinnett County Schools.

Halford said the schools typically received two fresh deliveries a week. But, she said every cafeteria manager prepares for emergencies like this.

"We train them to have an emergency food back up plan, meaning they have something in their pantry, in their freezer, which is quick and easy to prepare for the students," Hallford said.

This week some schools are sharing what bread they do have. Halford said the planned menus allow for quick substitutions.

A separate distributor still provides frozen bread products, which can be used for some meals. They are all the standard whole-wheat.

Hallford said with so many daily menu options, the students hopefully won't notice any difference.

The school district said it will get by with its contingency plan, the emergency food supply, for the next three weeks until the kids head off on holiday winter break.

They hope to have a full-time fresh bread supplier in place when they get back.