Dining
Sample menus:
Grilled rosemary chicken. Fresh-baked brownies. Fluffy waffles. Spaghetti marinara. Butternut squash soup and slices of warm, fresh baguettes. If you thought you knew what cafeteria food was all about, think again. Part of the package at Ojai Valley School is the fresh, hot meals sure to warm the tummies and hearts of day and resident students alike. Everything is made from scratch, and all recipes are developed in house to meet the needs and tastes of all our students.
The OVS dining staff puts in not only time, but also lots of care and pride in their delicious, wholesome meals. The crew serves up a hearty breakfast for residents to start the day. Scrambled eggs with hashed browns, fresh fruit, French toast or waffles are commonplace. The lunch menu features local and organic produce, and cuisine as diverse as our student body. Lunch, for day and boarding students, offers savory soups, hot and cold entrees, and a salad bar with fresh fruit and vegetables. Resident students on both campuses enjoy casual dinners and a formal Dress Dinner twice a month.
Special events include resident students’ birthdays, Thanksgiving, or our Lunar New Year celebration. On the weekends, residents enjoy meals on campus and often have the opportunity to visit downtown Ojai to pick up snacks from local markets or enjoy ice cream or frozen yogurt with friends. Lower Campus residents enjoy dinner at the Upper Campus on Friday evenings, which gives siblings on each campus an opportunity to see each other. (We have 19 siblings in the dorms!)
Our Food Services staff offers vegetarian and gluten-free options for students, but since meals are prepared in an open kitchen we are unable to provide a completely gluten-free environment. While every effort is made to identify allergic ingredients to those possibly affected by such ingredients, there is always a risk of contamination with allergic ingredients. Students with specific food allergies or intolerance, and their parents, should meet with our Food Services Director and Health Center staff prior to the start of school.