From Pizza to Fajitas: Kentucky Schools Serve Up Fresh School Lunches

In a delightful turn of events, Kentucky schools are rethinking their lunch offerings, shifting away from dreary pan pizza and fruit cups toward vibrant, fresh meals. At Boyle County High School, students are now relishing delicious fajitas made from locally-raised beef and topped with guacamole, tomatoes, and lettuce. This shift isn’t just about taste; it’s about instilling a sense of pride in the food students eat while supporting local farmers.

With a staggering 150 farms supplying fresh produce to around 90 school districts, the change has been made possible by a $3.2 million pandemic-era grant. Cheyenne Barsotti, the Food Service Director for Boyle County, believes that the quality of local products makes a noticeable difference. As students munch away, that trust grows, allowing kitchen staff to experiment with new recipes and strengthen their culinary repertoire.

It’s not just a culinary renaissance; it’s a cultural one as well, with students expressing excitement over their meals in ways previously unimaginable. Could this approach to school lunches become a model for others? One can only hope that more districts will embrace freshness over frozen. It’s about time our kids got excited about lunch instead of dreading it!