The aroma of tasty deliciousness emanated from the central kitchen at Live Oak High School the morning of March 3 as a select number of students and faculty members tasted a baker’s dozen of some new potential cafeteria food menu items.
This was not traditional cafeteria slush either, with bite-sized portions of dishes such as “Chicken Broccoli Alfredo,” “Smothered Chicken Burrito,” “Enchiladas Verde” and “Teriyaki Beef Dippers” set out on tables for all to enjoy.
Student and teacher tasters were given rating cards to indicate whether they liked a food and space for a comment on each entree. Kitchen cooks already adjusted some recipes based on suggestions made at a previous tasting conducted by Morgan Hill Unified School District staff.
“We’re trying to work toward scratch cooking,” explained Assistant Superintendent Kirsten Perez of the difference between the fresher, healthier and, hopefully, tastier entrees that have slowly been worked into some school menus as specials. “It’s great to get feedback from all the students.”
MHUSD has two central kitchens at LOHS and Ann Sobrato High School, where 10-member staffs at each locale prepare, package and then distribute to the other school sites for lunchtime chow. The food is then re-heated before it is served.
“I think having a lot of options is really nice,” said 15-year-old LOHS sophomore McKinzie Lothrop, who hopes the new flavor combinations will help her schoolmates “develop a stronger taste” for a wider variety of food.
The fresher ingredients—a combination of some pre-made sauces with a “value addition to enhance flavor” by kitchen staff—won over a contingent of Britton Middle School students who were invited over for the special dinner-in-the-morning sit-down.
“It all was really good,” said 13-year-old eighth grader Adrianna Gomez, who favored the burrito. “I usually bring my lunch from home.”
Also swayed by the flavors and no longer dreading the day of eating school lunch instead of a home-bagged one was 14-year-old classmate Alyson Conlan, who also enjoyed the burrito most of the 13-dish spread. “I know our school doesn’t have the best food,” Conlan said. “If we had this, it’s really good, kids would like them.”
The rave reviews were music to the ears of 22-year LOHS central kitchen manager Donita Cupps, who got in early Thursday morning with other staff to prepare the food. “We have been changing recipes and adding to it so it’s better.”
Sobrato central kitchen food service lead Noreen Mende said the difference in food quality is night and day from using solely frozen food to now making a lot of things from scratch.
“It’s more time-consuming, but we’re working at it,” said Mende, who has been at Sobrato the last eight of her 23 years with MHUSD.
The March 3 tasting was the second such event the district has conducted to try out new foods. The first was an abbreviated menu for the elementary schools.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Vegetable Sauteed Rice
Teriyaki Beef Dippers
Spicy Orange Szechuan Chicken
Meatball Marinara Sub Sandwich
Crispy Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
Smothered Chicken Burrito
Cheese Enchilada Verde
Pasta Primavera
Meatball Marinara Pasta
Ham and Cheese Bagel
Nonfat Yogurt and Berry Parfait
Assorted Whole Grain Muffins
