Avon Lake Schools Testing New Food Options This Month

AVON LAKE, OH — The Avon Lake Schools are implementing a pilot program that would expand its food offerings to include local, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and made from scratch options. The program is called "Growing Roots."

During the month of February, Avon Lake High School (on Tuesdays) and Learwood Middle School (on Wednesdays) will be serving and sampling a new menu item. The first week of the program focused on non-GMO foods, vegetarian options will be available on Feb. 12 and Feb. 13, then local foods (Feb. 19-20), and then clean label (Feb. 26-27).

Shannon Fitzgerald, the school district's dietitian, said the first day of the program was a "success."

"We have a willing, capable and energized staff where we kicked this off," she told Patch. "We offered samples of food items. All in all, it was a success."

She said both the kitchen staffers and students enjoyed the day. Students gave positive reviews to the non-GMO food items and Fitzgerald believes the district will roll that option into the regular menu offerings.

Regularly scheduled lunch menu items will still be offered for students. However, employees will offer samples to students who do not take the new meal. Students will then be asked to "vote" on it. A post-assessment survey will be conducted and will determine which menu items will be used at the schools in the future, the district said.

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"The philosophy of this program is to encourage menu transparency, nutrition education, while focusing on using food within the program that can be identified with attributes that include no artificial flavors or preservatives, free of pesticides, non - GMO, and free of hormones. The first step in the process was to gain information regarding the current knowledge of the school community and that included a survey to students, parents and staff regarding foodservice in the district," the Avon Lake Schools said in an email.

The district added that the goal of the program is to offer schools new recipes and offerings, options that are wholesome and healthy fuel for students. The school system is partnering with Pisanick Partners on the NutriSmart Menus which will power "Growing Roots."

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