Student Taste-tests – TrayTalk.org

Teaming up to Enhance Scratch-Made Menus for WA Students

The Ellensburg School District, located in central Washington, is revamping school meals for its 3,300 students across six schools. Working to transform offerings with more scratch-made recipes, vegetarian options and locally sourced meats and produce, the team is now led by a dietitian and chef partnering to develop meals that are nutritious and flavorful.

Together, they have successfully introduced popular dishes such as miso-ginger ramen with tofu or beef, scratch-made Alfredo pasta, vegetarian enchiladas and build-your-own bowls.

School Meal Planners Share Lunch Tray Ideas for the Fall

Earlier this summer, Alamo City served up more than just Tex-Mex; it provided inspiration and fresh recipe ideas to fuel school nutrition teams from across the country.

More than 6,000 school nutrition professionals gathered in San Antonio from July 13–15 for the School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) Annual National Conference (ANC), the largest event of its kind in the country. ANC gave attendees a firsthand look at the tools, techniques, and tastes shaping the school meals.

School meal planners filled the nation’s largest exhibit hall in school nutrition to visit nearly 360 exhibits. From the moment doors opened, attendees sampled new recipes, foods and beverages for lunch trays, previewed cutting-edge kitchen equipment to help prepare and serve meals and exchanged ideas on replicating restaurant trends to meet school nutrition guidelines.

Students in WI Eat Their Way Across the Globe

While students in Wisconsin’s Prescott School District were not afforded the opportunity to sail in a gondola in Venice or visit England’s Buckingham Palace, their tastebuds got a chance to take a tour of the world via delectable cuisine spanning the globe.

The students recently took part in the Around the World in 80 Trays program, which encourages school nutrition programs statewide to incorporate international cuisines and culturally-significant meals into their menus.

Hydroponic Gardens Sprouting in Schools

Hydroponic gardening is taking root in many schools across the country, offering students a unique, hands-on way to learn about sustainability, nutrition and science. By growing fresh produce in garden towers, schools are not only providing healthy ingredients for meals but also teaching valuable lessons in innovation and environmental responsibility. It’s a fresh approach that connects students to the food they eat and the science behind it.

For the past six years, the Unified School District of De Pere in Wisconsin has maintained three hydroponic towers, starting with one and adding two more over time. The primary goal is to educate students about an innovative way to grow fresh food while ensuring a steady supply of lettuce for school meals.

Texas School Co-op Hosts Popular Food Expo for 25 Years

Consumers have many ways to share their voice when it comes to menus and restaurant reviews – good, bad or indifferent, opinions on Yelp or Google reviews can be taken into consideration by chefs and foodservice managers. It only makes sense that students are interested to share their voice in school menu choices too, which can be both empowering and satisfying as they evolve into future decision makers.

Food Service Specialist Lauren Bush prefers to go straight to her young customers when it comes to critical menu decisions for schools within the Region 5 Food Service Cooperative, comprised of 43 school districts in East Texas. Two food show expos each school year are held to showcase new food items and gather student feedback on what’s new in healthy school menu offerings. The Lufkin Expo took place in the fall and the Beaumont Expo will be celebrating its 25th anniversary on February 4^th.

California District Boosts Produce Intake with School Farmers Markets

Twin Rivers Unified School District, located just outside Sacramento, California, developed an innovative and engaging way to encourage more fruit and vegetable consumption among students. An annual Farmers Market at each of its 24 elementary school campuses provides hands-on, tangible experiences for students, empowering them with the knowledge and skills to make healthier food choices.

Hosting the market has become a beloved tradition at each school, as it is eagerly anticipated by students every year. At each market, fresh fruits and veggies bursting with color are on display. The students are challenged to pick at least two different colored items while learning shopping skills and receiving an on-site nutrition lesson.

Michigan Schools’ Culinary Program Provides Glimpse of Nutrition Program

Career Tech Center students from Muskegon County Schools are enjoying a scrumptious yet practical education in preparing and serving locally-grown foods and experiencing a day in the life of food service managers, all while earning credit for select local colleges.

The yearlong Hospitality and Food Management program at the Career Tech Center is designed for high school juniors and seniors, different lessons are implemented every eight weeks. This month, students are creating recipes and receiving feedback on which recipes to alter. In-class focus groups and taste-tests will be held among students of all ages to determine which offerings will be featured at a school-wide event held before Thanksgiving. Students also job shadow food service professionals to gain invaluable on-the-job experience for those considering food, beverage and hospitality professions.

Artificial Intelligence in School Menu Planning

The expertise and compassion of school chefs and kitchen staff will always be at the heart of the school cafeteria, finding creative ways to deliver meals and student smiles. Some school nutrition departments are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) as an extra support resource to increase efficiencies, tap into new creative ideas or help solve kitchen dilemmas.

Cobb County School Menus Go Global

The more than 900 school food service team members at Cobb County School District in Georgia have embraced the challenge of creating a menu filled with nutritious and delicious foods representing cultures from around the globe and ensuring menus are constantly evolving.

Those efforts culminate to offer students a culinary tour of the globe!

Keeping MS Students Excited with New Menu Options

Scratch-made tomato bisque, charcuterie trays and peanut butter yogurt dip are just a few of the new offerings on the menu for students of DeSoto County Schools in Mississippi. This year, Child Nutrition Director Alex Hallmark hired a registered dietitian and worked with the district’s nutrition team to update breakfast and lunch options so the students would not get bored with school meals. Student feedback has been so positive, that many of the dishes are being served regularly, with new ideas in the works for the future.