"Kids won’t eat healthy food” is often heard across the country during school food reform discussions. Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, or ESY NOLA, has shown otherwise; they completely overhauled the cafeteria program at four schools, and the kids still like and eat the food. The secret to their success is fun, hands-on food education; an idea that is usually lost among debates over price, nutrient content, student choice, etc…

ESY NOLA is a signature program of FirstLine Schools, which operates four schools in New Orleans. Over the last five years, they have worked with Sodexo, their contracted food service provider, to change the menu at these four schools. They have gone from a “heat and serve” processed menu to one where all entrees are cooked from scratch on site. Additional changes include: 75 percent whole grains; fresh fruit and fresh or frozen vegetables; daily salad bar; lean meats such as ground turkey instead of beef; non-fat and low-fat, unflavored milk; water pitchers on the tables; a protein, grain, and fresh fruit for breakfast daily; and reducing processed meats, canned foods, high fructose corn syrup, and trans and saturated fats. Surveys of student acceptance of new, healthy entrées done by the Prevention Research Center at Tulane University found that baked chicken with brown rice was the most popular entrée.