Fresh, Bold Flavors for Students

San Antonio, Texas, is well known for its trendy food scene, with authentic Tex-Mex flavors at the heart of many local restaurant menus. For school meals to make the grade at Southside Independent School District, recipes must mimic the freshness and flavors students are accustomed to at home and in the community, but still meet national nutrition requirements for school meals.

Prepared from scratch to offer variety and a unique blend of flavors, school lunch entrees include Enchiladas Verdes, Pollo Elegante, “Mi Pueblo Taco Salad” and Fideos Casera. The district’s child nutrition department is constantly reformulating recipes based on feedback from students, parents and school staff. They focus on using herbs and spices authentic to traditional recipes – comino, fresh garlic, chili ancho, fresh onion, jalapenos, bell peppers, serrano, cilantro, fresh tomato, fresh basil and fresh parsley are common ingredients in the school kitchen.

Local students are looking for a wide variety of flavors, in addition to tradition ethnic choices. Options on the high school lunch lines include Cran-apple Salad, Vegan Bean Burger and Raspberry Spinach Salad in addition to meals that take a creative spin on traditional cafeteria fare, such as Grilled Ham & Cheese, Turkey Jack Wrap and Spicy Chicken Flats.

Meals at the high school are actually served on white plates instead of lunch trays, another way to help promote these nutritious and appealing options.