Stevenson Manufacturing, Automation and Design Engineering (MADE) students had a big test in front of them recently, but this had no studying involved.
20 students were invited to a focus group where they were to taste test food on behalf of the Macomb Oakland and Wayne Regional Purchasing Cooperative (MOR), the co-op that UCS and 116 other statewide school districts are a part of.
“It was fun,” Stevenson MADE junior, Lucas Timbuc said. “Trying everything was pretty cool and knowing that you’re influencing a lot of what might happen in the future is a nice feeling.”
Michigan has three main food co-ops, meaning the opinions of the Stevenson MADE taste testers will impact one third of the state’s school food purchases.
“We want to serve things that students will eat, not things we think they will eat,” Director of Food and Nutrition Services, Mandy Sosnowski said. ”Students’ cultural, socioeconomic and home life experiences influence a lot of what they will or will not eat.”
“We had a large, diverse group of people,” Stevenson MADE junior, Sara Musa said. “I’m a picky eater and others in the group were not as picky, so I think it’s good since we have such different pallets.”
Since the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was enacted in 2012, research published by the School Nutrition Association shows that the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI) score for children 2-17 years old is 53.9/100, which the report explains should be improved. By implementing Child Nutrition Programs, HEI scores increased by 54.5%.
“School meals for a hungry child is an academic intervention,” child nutrition consultant for Oakland Schools and President of the National School Nutrition Association, Lori Adkins said.
“We know that not all students qualify for free or reduced meals, but 100% of our students will experience hunger at some point during the school day, so that is what our school meal programs are here for.”
“Most people think it’s just pizza on a plate,” Sosnowski said. “What they don’t know is that a lot of thought goes into that pizza to make sure it fits the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) strict nutrition standards, is affordable and enjoyable for the students.”
