Happy, healthy, hummus
Chartwells brings Discovery Kitchen to Kokomo Schools for kids to try new foods
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There was a television commercial for breakfast cereal in the 1960s where a kid named Mikey, who didn’t like the taste of anything, tried Life cereal and loved it. Chartwells K-12, Kokomo Center School Corporation’s food service company is doing its best to make even the most finicky “Mikey” try new menu items, and even like them in some cases.
Chartwells is doing this through its Discovery Kitchen program which reaches out to students at lunch from elementary classes to high school and offers food that is different than the students are used to coming from a school cafeteria.
According to Chartwells’ corporate website, the company’s goal is to have students “Happier and Healthier” every day, making the school cafeteria a fun place to be. The Discovery Kitchen program was presented Jan. 18 at Pettit Park Elementary School.
“This is our first Discovery Kitchen event that we have had here,” said Pettit Park Principal Dr. Lyndsi Smith.
While at Pettit Park, Chartwells Director of Dining Services for Kokomo Schools Robert Horan and Chartwells Executive Chef Jan Alvira gave a presentation to each class that came to lunch. The students were shown the ingredients for the dish of the day, red pepper hummus. Each student had the option of having a serving cup of hummus with celery and carrot sticks.
“I was impressed with how many of them tried it,” Smith said. “Kids can be picky.”
Horan revealed how the dishes presented to the students were chosen.
“There is a corporate calendar that we can choose from, and we pick from that,” said Horan. “This month was legumes.”
Horan pointed out that the dishes served had ingredients students could get from local grocery stores if they wanted to try the foods at home. Each student was given a recipe card in their classrooms with all the information needed to prepare the food with their parents.
“We pick one item or multiple items, and then we integrate it with the Discovery Kitchen,” said Alvira. “Then, we get with the schools and the principals. When they accept us to do it, we bring it to the schools and serve it up.”
Smith praised the school system’s partnership with Chartwells.
“Chartwells has been a wonderful addition to our school system,” said Smith. “I feel our kids have had more variety in their meal choices, vegetable and fruit choices.”
The students in the cafeteria gave feedback to the Chartwells representatives and cafeteria staff as they offered extra helpings of the hummus. Some students commented on the garlic in the dish, and others gave positive feedback by just raising their hands and asking for more.
“It’s all about getting the kids to try something different and learn something about eating healthy they might otherwise not,” said Horan. “We try to make the cafeteria a happy and inviting place, serving up healthy food.”