By Chloe Miller
This year, Lanesboro Public Schools has introduced a new food service, Taher, into the kitchen to serve all K-12 students. This food service offers a meal for both breakfast and lunch every day. Each breakfast consists of two choices of a main course. One of the main course options remains the same throughout the whole month, being a choice of cereal with sweet crackers. Every day though, there is an alternate option of a specialty breakfast. Some specialty breakfasts they offer include breakfast taco, egg bake, banana chocolate loaf, and many more. Once a student picks a main course, every morning there is an included side of fruit, choice of juice, and choice of milk.
The other meal they provide, lunch, also gives students freedom to choose what they want to eat that day. Every day, the lunch menu includes three meal options for the day. The one main course that stays consistent is a deli sandwich, available every day. Some of the varying options Taher offers are Italian stromboli, chicken potstickers, and other meals that some students have not yet experienced during their education here with the past kitchen management. Along with the main course, all lunch meals are served with a type of potato or vegetable, fresh fruit, salad bar, choice of milk, and a wide selection of made in house sauces that pair with the meals that given day.
The Taher company is Minnesota based and they try to purchase organic and local produce to use in their meals every day. Additionally, they have cut out all trans fats from their food. The chef council of the business works hard to discover new recipes for each month, and chefs try them out in their test kitchens before launching them to students. The company has even made global trips to Europe and South America to help expand the culture and flavors in each meal.
Lanesboro students were excited to welcome a new food scene this year with all the chaos that happened last school year. Every day, students are excited to have the entitlement of choosing their own meal and having varying choices every day. A snack cart, also known as a la carte, is stationed during the 20-minute lunch break and all students are welcome to visit it to purchase their favorite snacks. The a la carte provides an array of choices like sparkling waters, popcorn, cookies, and other yummy treats for cheap prices.
During the summer break when the new company had settled into the Lanesboro High School kitchen, they cooked a sample meal for staff and athletes to try. They put together a nice plate of pulled pork, fruit, a cookie, and fruit punch. When given the trial meal, people started to build up anticipation for the school year. A couple months in, students are still happy to say that this year’s food is an upgrade from last year.
Chloe Miller is a Lanesboro High School student, one of 15 area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its 26th year.