Newsletters 2013-14 Focus newsletter, [1] fall | Seite 14

A N O K A

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H E N N E P I N

S C H O O L

D I S T R I C T

Students help lead overhaul of Anoka-Hennepin’s school
menu featuring 25 new meals

“I

can’t believe we're going to eat Olive
Garden-food in school,” was the reaction one student had to the new mini
raviolis they were taste-testing.
Wait—Olive Garden-style food in the
schools? What’s that about?
Back in April and May, dozens of AnokaHennepin students participated in a totally different kind of test than they were used to. They
participated in a test kitchen of sorts where students taste-tested new and old school-food
recipes.

The student feedback in the kitchens led to
an overhaul of Anoka-Hennepin’s menu. Many
oldie-but-goodie foods remain, like pizza and
hamburgers, but there are 25 new items on the
menu, from those Olive Garden-like mini raviolis, to several new salad options, to a new student favorite: “walking tacos.”
“Kids will see more diversity in the foods,
too,” said Patty Duenow, the district’s assistant
director of Child Nutrition Programs. “Students
will see more Asian foods and Italian foods—
things they see in the markets.”

Many of the new meals they tried, like the
mini raviolis, were a hit. Other recipes—not so
much, according to Jeff Chounard, the chef
supervisor for the Anoka-Hennepin School
District.

In addition, Chounard said the foods will be
more flavorful.

“Students are pretty honest,” he said. “They
don’t hesitate to say they love it, or to say it’s
gross.”

And the district’s vendors and suppliers are
involved as well, according to Chounard. During
testing, the district and the vendor of the everpopular popcorn chicken began tinkering with
the recipe, he said.

“

Students really like
that they’re being put in
the power seat and that
their opinion counts.

”

Save the Date:
Vote for AnokaHennepin School
Board Seats Nov. 5

T

hree seats on the Anoka-Hennepin School
Board will be up for election this fall in
districts three, four and six. Community
members living within those districts may vote on
November 5.
Details regarding impacted districts:
■ District Three includes Champlin and the
portions of Dayton within the district plus the northwest section of Coon Rapids. This seat is currently
held by Bill Harvey. He was appointed in January to
fill out the unexpired term of John Hoffman, who
resigned after being elected to the Minnesota Senate.
■ District Four includes the portions of
Nowthen, Ham Lake and Oak Grove located
within the district plus a large share of Andover
and the northeastern section of Ramsey. This seat
is currently held by Michael Sullivan, who has
served a number of terms.
■ District Six includes northern Coon Rapids
and southern Andover. This seat is currently held
by Jeff Simon, who was appointed in July 2012
following the resignation of Kathy Tingelstad.
Maps showing election districts are f