Pigs in blankets a lunchtime hit
Nutrients, and a sense of fun, make up the menu at Mac school
Bruno Hernandez Julio quickly bit into his pig in a blanket, the special of the day at McMinnville elementary and middle school cafeterias April 24.
“I like it. It’s good,” he said of the wiener wrapped in dough and baked. After another bite, the Buel School first-grader added, “I really like the bread.”
He should: Cooks at Buel and other schools made the dough early that morning using whole-grain flour. They followed a recipe with less salt than traditional bread doughs, too.
They wound the bread around 100% turkey franks with no nitrates or nitrites, a healthier alternative to most such dogs.
“Our district prides itself on spending a little more for high-quality, nutritious products,” said Gia Saporito, RD/RDN, the nutrition services supervisor. McMinnville’s school lunch program focuses on nutrition, as well as on keeping children fed.
Although they are healthier than the wiener wraps served in schools decades ago, today’s pigs in a blanket are a rare treat in McMinnville school cafeterias.
This was the second time they’ve been on the menu this year. In October, schools offered “Mummy Wraps” for Halloween.
“We like to keep things fun,” Saporito said, noting that cafeterias also have specials such as an all-green menu for St. Patrick’s Day.
McMinnville schools also offer students choices. Many Buel Elementary children chose pigs in a blanket with corn on Friday, but an equal number opted for a bowl of low-fat, low-sugar yogurt served with tiny graham crackers and a banana, too.
And any of them could add a banana, oranges, apples or an array of vegetables, from broccoli to snap peas, from the salad bar.
Every elementary school has a salad bar stocked with wrapped items, for safety; prior to COVID, the school salad bars looked like any other salad bars. Middle schools have returned to “open” displays and soon the high school’s salad bar will be back, too.
Food service staff members encourage students to take fruits and vegetables they like, as well as to try new ones. On pigs in blankets day, kids also had a chance to try chunks of roasted yams; those who were willing to eat the orange cubes received a sticker.
“We offer a beautiful variety of colors. We teach them that different colors mean different vitamins and minerals,” she said. “We want them to ‘taste the rainbow.’”
Two schools, Buel and Newby, also have received federal Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grants, which pay for introducing new or less commonly seen foods, such as Brussels sprouts, asparagus, kumquats, raspberries, cantaloupe and yams.
The district also has a Farm to Table grant, which supports buying fresh produce, often from local or Oregon companies.
This year, that’s meant pears, tortillas, and black beans along with oats from Bob’s Red Mill for granola, among other items.
Saporito said school meals need to be nutritious and enjoyable but also something students can count on.
Some children experience food insecurity when they’re not at school. They need to know their hunger will be satisfied at breakfast and lunch.
They also benefit from being known to the lunch room staff, who greet them by name and usually know their preferences.
“Our nutrition staff gives so much,” Soporito said.
She noted that their service continued during the pandemic, when students were studying online instead of coming to school. The district distributed more than 1 million meals during that time, she said.
“We want the best for our students; our staff wants the best for them,” she said.
That why they use 100% turkey dogs and make the dough by hand when they serve pigs in a blanket
Comments
Rotwang
It's basically hot dogs that can't fall out of the bun.