TAMPA, Fla. — Students from Tomlin Middle School in Plant City are taking an exciting role in shaping their cafeteria menu for next year.
Stephanie, a student there, has a tasty idea in mind: “Fiesta Tots!” She can’t wait to share this dish with her classmates and hopes it makes the cut. Imagine tater-tots piled high with all your favorite nacho toppings!
This week, students are tasting and voting on various dishes at the annual School Lunch Experience held at Tampa’s Silo Event Center. It’s a fun way for kids to become junior food critics for a day.
Forty talented chefs from the school district prepared mini meals for the students to sample. They offered creative dishes such as cherry blossom chicken served with yellow rice and Korean BBQ meatballs over lo mein.
The event encourages kids to give their input on what they’d like to see in their lunchboxes. “It’s only nutritious if the kids eat it,” said Shani Hall, who manages Student Nutrition Services. “Listening to our customers is key to providing the best options.”
Last year, the students chose orange chicken as their favorite. This time around, they seem excited about the possibility of adding Fiesta Tots and healthier versions of “Uncrustables” to the menu, including one with peanut butter and honey.
With such a fun and engaging approach to school lunches, students get to be part of something important—deciding what they eat and making their voices heard!
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