CLEARWATER, Fla. — Like an episode of a cooking show, judges will taste-test and rate new menu items.
The menu items are school lunch offerings for the Pinellas County School District and the judges are students.
Students from elementary, middle and high schools in the district have arguably the best assignment of the year: eating things like maple waffle bbq flatbread and dill flavored whole grain boneless chicken wings.
This is the second year students are able to help craft the school's menu, important when students are harder to please than ever. School breakfast and lunch offerings have to fall under federal nutrition guidelines, adding an extra challenge for meal providers.
Each school lunch needs to include servings of fruit, whole grains, lean protein, dairy, and vegetables. That becomes a challenge for school districts when planning menus because students are looking for the same dining experience they get out at restaurants at school.
"They want that Popeyes chicken sandwich experience, the cool taco truck vibes, they expect more," said Nick Gill, a regional sales manager with Prime Food.
"We want to make sure kids are eating things that are healthy but also things they'd order in a restaurant," said Tammy Ayotte, a nutrition education specialist at the Pinellas County School District. "When we include students in the process of choosing the menu, we know what they actually like to eat, instead of us choosing with our adult palettes," said Ayotte.
The Pinellas County School district serves about 55,000 lunches every day.
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