High school students allowed to leave school at lunchtime don’t readily give up their freedom. But at Tamalpais Union High School District in Larkspur, Calif., many choose to eat lunch in the school cafeteria. Enticing them is a wide array of wraps, paninis, entrees and salads made with flavor, trendiness and good nutrition in mind.

In fact, due largely to the appealing, on-trend menus that director of student nutrition services Margan Holloway presents, meal participation has increased in each of her first two years on the job, despite the stiff competition of nearby fast food restaurants and grocery delis for the student lunch business.

In 2008-09, Holloway’s first school year, she boosted lunch participation by 7 percent and began a new breakfast program. The following year, she hiked lunch participation by 14 percent and breakfast by 17 percent.

Each day at lunch, the cafeteria offers 20 to 25 entrée options including a variety of hot entrees, cold sandwiches and salads. Typical choices are Teriyaki Rice Bowl, Spicy Chicken Burger, Chicken Chipotle Ranch Wrap, BBQ Pork Sliders and Thai Chicken Eggroll. Side dishes include microgreens salad and spinach and dried cherry salad. Fresh, seasonal fruit like melon, strawberries and citrus are available daily. “This is not a typical high school cafeteria menu,” says Holloway.

Holloway, recipient of the Silver Rising Star Award of the 2011 FAME (Foodservice Achievement Management Excellence) Awards, says she is inspired by the menus of higher-quality dining establishments rather than fast food chains. “I think the chains are trying to mirror what you would fine in the better dining places,” she says.

Trendiness aside, healthfulness is of paramount importance to her. Like many foodservice directors, she is working to reduce the sodium content of school meals to meet new nutritional guidelines. “I went to a distributor food show and reduced sodium was the new buzzword,” says Holloway. “Manufacturers are answering the call.”