Gone are the days of square, gooey pizza — healthier options are now on the school lunch menu.
Spinach-packed fruit smoothies and savory chicken pozole may not sound like a typical school lunch, but they are among the healthier options El Paso Independent School District students can find on the menu this year.
“Providing healthy, balanced food is essential because it directly fuels the brain and helps the students maintain focus throughout the school day,” said Stephanie Alvarez, assistant director of Food and Nutrition Services.
From whole-wheat pizza to low-sodium ramen, each dish gets the stamp of approval from a menu-planning committee that includes registered dietitians. The menu also meets federal health standards without compromising on student appeal.
“To achieve this, we replace added salt with culinary herbs and spice blends that cater directly to our students’ regional taste preferences,” Alvarez said. “We also partner with specialized vendors to source high-quality, delicious ingredients built specifically to thrive on a large-scale school production line.”
EPISD invited media members to tour its kitchen at Jefferson High School and sample menu items, including pozole, carne asada fries topped with cheese, guacamole and sour cream, and low-sodium ramen.
One notable feature of the kitchen was the absence of deep fryers. Cafeteria staff prepare items such as carne asada fries by baking them instead of frying, while specialized ovens are used to make pizzas with whole-wheat crusts.
“Introducing kids to lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh produce early on builds healthy habits that last a lifetime while strengthening immune systems to keep kids healthy,” Alvarez said.
El Paso ISD serves 50,000 meals a day across all of its campuses with more than 500 employees in school cafeterias.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: No deep fryers: EPISD bakes its way to healthier lunches
Reporting by Natassia Paloma, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Natassia Paloma, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
