PROVO, Utah — School lunches these days might look a little different than those square pizzas served up when you were in school. But on Friday at Provo High School, officials continued working to see if they can make meals just as healthy as they are delicious.
They say kids can be our biggest fans and our biggest critics, so who better than a group of students from districts across northern Utah to act as food judges to test healthier school menu items.
As students moved down the line at the school, Kagen Coates was able to discover his favorite.
“Peach cobbler," he exclaimed. "It had peaches in it. I love fruit!”
Others, like Hailey Wheeler. weren’t afraid to share their suggestions on how to make the items even tastier.
“For the barbecue sauce, I’d use fresh ingredients," Wheeler detailed. "For the chicken noodle soup, I’d add a little more flavoring.”
The kids voted on their favorites to give school officials an idea of what they should work into next year's menus.
In Utah, the new school lunch requirements are meant to reduce sodium and sugar levels, which can be challenging to abide by, especially for faculty members.
Cafeteria worker Meredeth Bliss believes getting students involved is important not only when it comes to learning their taste buds but also when tackling another important issue.
“We want to make sure we don’t have any food waste; we want to make sure they do like what we’re serving so we’re not having any of the food thrown away," Bliss explained. "We’re also making sure they’re getting a good nutrition so when they go and take their tests, they’re ready.”
The new requirements are set to be in place when the new school year begins in August. Dietician Debbie Phang says the overall goal is to help students better their academic performance.
“The kids are the reason why we do what we do; it’s really about them being their best social, emotional and mental selves," she said. "At the end of the day, the students are our customers, and we’re really selling our product to our customers, so we treat them with the highest importance.”
So whether it’s to break bad habits..
“It’s better not to have junk food at school because it’s just better for you,” Kagen said.
Or achieve that perfect smile...
“It’s important so you don’t get sick and you can keep your dental hygiene,” added Hailey.
There's little doubt that healthy eating means something to everyone.
