FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Broward County Public Schools unveiled its “Power Up” program, Thursday, with healthier menu options for students this school year.
The presentation at Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale was led by Chef Rudolph Poindexter, who helped the county’s Food and Nutrition Services redesign the menu.
Poindexter was on stage demonstrating how to make some of the new meals being offered in the “Power Up” program. Using fresh vegetables, Poindexter demonstrated how the hummus wrap is prepared.
“If we’re going to have healthier options, we’re going to go healthy all the way, right?” Poindexter said as he prepared a hummus wrap. “We have a hummus wrap, which is a jerk hummus wrap, we have a curry hummus wrap and a cumin,” Poindexter said. “So we kind of touch on all ethnic backgrounds, so it’s been huge.”
Darlene Moppert from Broward County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services said the program is meant to give students fresh choices that are also healthy.
“They get a chance to taste. They get hot meals, interesting food items like the hummus wraps or chicken and waffles, and things that are all baked. We don’t fry anything,” Moppert said.
Poindexter said one of the first things he changed about the menu was the ingredients used.
“One of the first things that I changed when I got in, got in the building, was the kosher salt,” Poindexter said. “We also went with extra virgin olive oil, so we’re using a lot of fresh products.”
Lorri Spence said once the students try the healthy foods, they like them.
“They love it, they really do,” Spence said. “Once they try it, at first they kind of stick their nose up, but once they try it, they really enjoy it.”
“We have an Asian chicken salad that will be on the menu, all fresh,” Poindexter said. “It’s an asian and kale salad. you hide the kale in, and the kids eat it. They really enjoy it”
The chef said that once kids get used to healthier foods and ingredients, they’ll enjoy them.
“We’re just trying to retrain the mind and change the mindset on what they’ll be consuming,” he said. “Food is fuel for the brain.”
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