CORAL SPRINGS, FLA. (WSVN) - With Broward County public schools set to open their doors next month, district members held a preview and taste test for new lunch items that students and parents can expect for the upcoming school year.
The tasting, held at Coral Glades High School, showcased the new school lunches, packed with flavor and centered around nutrition, all in accordance with USDA guidelines.
“These standards ensure that we are following proper portions, having colorful fresh fruits and vegetables available to our students, and limiting sodium, calories and added sugar,” said Elizabeth Seeley, a registered dietitian. “This is to ensure that our students have nourishing meals for academic success.”
The revamped menu offers delicious meals focused on health and the heart.
“We want to provide healthy meals to our students, but also delicious meals to our students,” said Seeley.
Much of the year’s mouthwatering menu was developed following student-led focus groups, including more pasta dishes, culturally inclusive meals and fast-casual-inspired dishes.
“We don’t just serve meals, we listen to our students,” said Seeley.
Some of these new menu items include Philly cheesesteaks, empanadas and the Broward Bowl, a comfort item complete with mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and chicken tenders. All said to be requested by the students themselves.
“We have a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Taco. We have a Chicken Caesar Salad and then a Taco Crisp. [Also,] a Gluten free Chicken Enchilada Empanada and our Broward Bowl, which is a comfort food combination of mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, and student’s choice of a regular chicken tender or spicy chicken tender,” said Seeley.
She added the county-hosted surveys and focus groups with students of all ages to ensure their bellies and hearts stay full.
“Students love chicken, they love bowls, they love pasta. That’s what they told us, and so we listened, and that’s why we chose the menu items that we did,” said Seeley.
The tasting comes after BCPS announced that they will no longer be providing universal free lunch to their students in the upcoming school year. The program was initially supported by federal waivers in response to COVID-19; however, now free lunch will only be available to students after completing an application.
Broward County is set to launch a variety of new events that staff and students can look forward to next school year. The new school year is set to start Aug. 11.
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