Valuable Insight Gained Thru Taste Tests

CKC Good Food hosted the last of 6 school groups for our spring taste test field trips on Wednesday, May 24. All told, more than 100 people participated in this annual opportunity. We received a lot of positive feedback about the content and food shared.

Menu & Recipe Development Coordinator Brandon Porter led student groups ranging in size from 10 to 24 on tours of our facility and provided an overview of how the CKC team creates new recipes and builds menus for the National School Lunch program.

Then, they dove into menu evaluations, sharing with Brandon what menus items were the most and least favorite, and what entrees they’d like for school lunch.

“Kids are surprised to learn about the nutritional guidelines for school meals,” Brandon said. “They really don’t know why they’re served what they are.”

Brandon was also reminded that there’s no single meal that everyone is going to like.

For the taste test, the groups tried four items being considered for fall menus:

• Tikka Drumstick: Northern Indian marinated chicken drumstick served with seasoned Jeera Rice
• Bengali Chicken Wrap: Stir-fry chicken with mustard seeds. Served with a tortilla and cilantro crema.
• Butter Chicken: Tender strips of chicken simmered in a tomato cream sauce. Served with seasoned Jeera rice.
• White Chicken Chili: Tender premium chicken, white navy beans and perfect seasonings. Served with corn bread.

The results? The Asian-inspired recipes were all winners but students were less enthused about the White Chicken Chili.

More importantly, students gained valuable information about nutrition and school meals. One school shared how informative the taste test was and that a student said that they wished everyone at the school would have been able to attend.

Watch for the invitation to participate in our annual taste test field trips next spring!