Sample the SAUSD’s new healthy school menu options on May 30

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Deidra Powell, Chief Communications Officer, (714) 558-5555 office, (714) 673-4995 mobile

Media Advisory

May 30: SAUSD’s “Voice Your Choice” Food Show 

Thousands to sample and vote on healthy school menu options

(May 28, 2015) – An estimated 3,000 students and parents will taste test and vote on potential new school cafeteria food items for the Santa Ana Unified School District as part of the first “Voice Your Choice” school menu food show to be held Saturday, May 30, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Godinez Fundamental High School, located at 3002 Centennial Road in Santa Ana.

Hosted by the school district’s Nutrition Services Department, “Voice Your Choice” will provide Nutrition Services Staff an opportunity to interact with parents and students, and record their votes of the products sampled. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample more than 100 food choices, including breakfast items such as French toast bagel sticks, pan dulce, cereal bowls, breakfast sandwiches, and muffins, and lunch items including tamales, taquitos, Asian boneless wings, chipotle burritos, and pulled pork. There will also be sampling of a la carte items such as Sun Chips, soft pretzels, naked juice, fruit sorbets, and side items such as quinoa, seasoned black beans, and rice blends.

All items meet strict nutrition standards limiting the calories, fat and sodium in school meals and requiring schools to offer students more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. At the end of the event, all votes will be counted and products with high approval ratings will be assessed and proposed as menu items for the 2015-2016 school year menu.

“Voice Your Choice” is one of many ways that the Santa Ana Unified School District is working to make healthier school meals more appealing to students. By organizing the event to include entire families, the district’s Nutrition Services staff will be able to show students, parents and community members that the department is trying alternative methods of reaching out to students to gain their approval and acceptance of new product offerings while allowing them to be part of the selection process.