Project Description
As a result of the Project Produce grant, students in grades 5 and 6 at Wilson Intermediate School in Malvern Public School District were involved in a project called “Getting Students Back to Their Roots: Vegetables.” Through this project, students were given the opportunity to sample fresh vegetables that are difficult to eat raw.
The vegetables were discussed in the science classes prior to the taste testing culmination. Students researched where the veggies are grown, the climate needed for growth, and the nutritional impact of each. Recipes were provided for the students and their parents, sent home with the students, included in the school’s newsletter/communication to home, and added to the district website.
The featured vegetables were:
- Asparagus
- Black beans
- Brussel sprouts
- Kale
- Zucchini
The recipes were steamed asparagus with fresh garlic, bacon broasted brussel sprouts, baked kale chips, parmesan zucchini coins, and black bean brownies. To craft these recipes, a chef from the school’s dining service company, used the assistance of six students from the high school to help prepare and serve the vegetables and provide informational sheets on each. After the taste testing event, the fifth and sixth grade students were asked to vote on their top three favorites so that the item(s) could be added to the school’s menus. At one school,159 students responded to the google docs by logging in and choosing their favorites. The next week, the top two picks, the kale chips and black bean brownies, were added to the lunch menus.
In regards to the Project Produce grant, Terri Bryant, the Director of School Improvement at Malvern said:
