Test kitchens insure quality school lunches - Celebrating 40 Years of School Lunch

Food and Nutrition, Oct, 1986 by Kent Taylor

Test Kitchens Insure Quality School Lunches

Over the years, school lunch directors have become increasingly sensitive to the likes and dislikes of their student customers. Just as food manufacturers and distributors put time and effort into testing new items before putting them on the market, many school food service people are testing foods before introducing them in their lunch programs.

Two test kitchens in the Southeast --a county-operated kitchen in Louisville, Kentucky, and a state-run kitchen in Raleigh, North Carolina-- are good examples of innovative approaches to food testing and food service training.

Louisville kitchen is a recent addition

The test kitchen and learning center in Louisville is part of the Jefferson County school system. It was the idea of food service director Jay Caton, who saw a need for better quality control in school meals.

"We needed a place to test and compare food samples for consistency and acceptability,' he explains. "With 135 school locations, it's difficult to have standard quality throughout our system, especially since we have a relatively small field staff of consultants for the schools. We also needed a place for hands-on experience and training on food preparation, sanitation, and safety.'

Completed in 1985, the test kitchen is part of a large classroom that can be divided into three sections. Up to 100 people can attend classroom training while 25 are in the test kitchen.

Before the test kitchen existed, food service staff tested food samples at each school. Now food samples are picked up at a number of schools, brought into the test kitchen, and analyzed for quality.

"Introducing new products is one of the most important functions of our test kitchen,' says Cherly Sturgeon, coordinator of food service operations for the Jefferson County schools.

During what's called "happy food service hour,' a monthly event at the test kitchen, food brokers and manufacturers show off their products to local school food managers. "In the past,' says Sturgeon, "our managers had no place to see or test new products. Now they can come to happy food service hour and be updated on the latest food trends.'

Test equipments as well as products

Product testing goes on throughout the year. "In March,' says Sturgeon, "we may decide to test all french-fry products that are approved for the schools.' Evaluation panels include school and state food service personnel, parents, and of course, students.

"We have to be sure that the students themselves have a part in determining food quality for their meals,' Sturgeon says.

Private industry has been generous in donating food service equipment and in providing representatives for equipment maintenance seminars. A donated video camera is used to tape sessions for employees unable to come in for training.

"Not only do we stay up to date on the latest food trends, but we also test the latest in kitchen equipment,' says Sturgeon. "For example, we have a tilting braising pan, which we have ordered for some of our larger kitchens, that eliminates the need for large ranges.'

School food managers are required to take training each year at the test kitchen. Along with courses on food and equipment, there is instruction on stress reduction, time management, and building a positive self-image. Local chefs conduct sessions on merchandising and using garnishes. As an incentive to participate, managers can earn bonus pay for completing optional training.

The kitchen is also used to test new recipes or modify traditional ones. The goal is to insure consistent meal quality and to minimize costs while making meals more acceptable to students.

Adding variety is also a goal

"We need to reach out to our customers without jeopardizing nutrition,' says Jay Caton. "One of the challenges today is to maintain high quality with the best tasting product and provide it at a reasonable cost to the paying child.'

Caton feels the offer versus serve option, which allows students to choose three or more of the five available food items, is one of the best ideas to come into school food service.

"Another good idea,' he says, "is the use of USDA commodities for preparing a la carte items. For example, we process figs, honey, and flour into individually wrapped fig bars that the kids really like. We need to recognize that not every child will want a full meal every day, and we must insure that nutritious choices are available.'

Students benefit from the test kitchen because of the variety of products that are put on the menu after the testing process. "Managers have more items for their own individual choice menus as a result of what we show them in the test kitchen,' says Brenda Richardson, coordinator of food procurement.

"This is important since we have found that students in one part of the county may have completely different tastes from the rest of the area.'

While schools are competing with fast food restaurants and have to follow fast food trends, Richardson says, many students are also placing more emphasis on "light' foods. "For instance,' she says, "we have healthy a la carte items such as all-natural yogurt to go along with our salad bars.