How Fresh Is Our Food?

by Cade Smith

Art by Elizabeth Thomas

The food in the cafeteria has been getting fresher with better quality of foods. But before the food wasn’t as fresh as it is now.

The cafeteria food comes from three different companies, the first company is Creation Gardens, Piazza Produce, and Gordon Food Service.

Food service Director Mike Hale commented on whether our food is prepackaged and processed.

“It depends on what part of the school year season you’re talking about. At the beginning of the school year, the answer would’ve probably been the majority of the products that we used were preprocessed,” said Hale, “basically like place and bake items. Frozen pizzas are a example of that,” Mr.Hale commented.

As the year continued, the food quality began to improve.

“Now into the second semester there's been a shift. A good number of our side dishes are made from scratch on site,” said Hale, “Our chili is made from scratch on site. A few of the items that we do have are combination items, so, for instance, teriyaki chicken, pineapple provolone sandwich on the ciabatta roll.”

Continuing, Mr.Hale explain combination items.

“So we are buying, obviously we're not back here slicing pineapple from scratch, we are buying canned pineapple and were buying sliced provolone and were buying a par baked ciabatta roll, so that’s something that’s been started for us and we finish on site. Kind of like a Pillsbury dough you’ll see at the grocery store, comparable to something like that. It’s a little farther along in its process.”

The USDA requires the school to serve certain amounts of the five base food groups that the school serves. They are grains, proteins, dairy, fruits, and vegetables.

The school food also has to follow regulations that fall within a range of calories, amount of ingredients used, and to serve the proper color of vegetables throughout the week.

According to Mike Hale there are going to be new lunch items to the menu, as well as smoked meats in ovens. Vegetarian dishes are planning to get added.

There is a pasta bar that is planning to get added. There is going to be pasta, meat sauce, marinara, and alfredo.

The Cougar Lunch Team is deciding to add to next year’s menu items, including a turkey bacon club, a pastrami on rye or a pretzel bun with honey mustard and pickles, pulled pork, a KFC bowl or what it will be formally called, the Cougar Bowl. Many “fun” sandwiches are being tested to see how they go.

To send ideas for lunches, contact the Cougar Lunch Team at hscafe@npusc.k12.in.us.