Wyoming High School Lunch: What Alternative Options are There, what Changes are to come, and how do they make their food?

61% of grains are required for Wyoming High school lunches. Recently since the new school year started people had questions about the options, portions, and why they pick the food they do.
In an interview with Jodie Roberts, the head chef who has worked in the Wyoming lunch system for thirty years. She stated that there have been positive changes in the school lunches’ nutritional value throughout the years.“Yes, quite a few years ago we started going to more whole grain, baked and reduced fat lunches,” she said. “Beverages low in sugar, 100% juice, and Powerade Zero.”
These are major changes that have occurred in lunch over the years. They are currently in the works of having more homemade items.
Dairy-free options and gluten-free options are always welcome for students to request. “If children have any allergies or special dietary needs we can have something on file and be accommodating to those needs,” said Ms. Roberts. “Gluten-free burger buns and hot dog buns are available if requested or we know a student has issues with gluten bread.”
Other examples of dairy allergy-friendly foods include ‘grab and go’ salads which are made to order, pasta options, mashed potatoes, and meat. For breakfast cereals, they also include gluten-free Lucky Charms and Chex.
New menu options for vegans are coming soon. Currently, (other than salads), there are not any other options. But intel from Jodie says there is currently a new pending menu. “They’re planning on making a menu with more vegan and vegetarian options,” she said, “but we haven’t gotten that far yet.”
Throughout her thirty years of working here not much at all has changed with the portions offered and available to students, but the nutritional benefits of their food has. “Pastas, breads, tortillas, pizza crust is now 61% whole grain as of this year,” said Ms. Roberts.
Wyoming High school lunch is through a program called “Offer Versus Serve” which requires you to have at least 3 of the 5 options. But you always need to have either fruit or vegetable. Students are encouraged to take more food if they please to do so. “Kids are welcome to have 3-4 fruits or veggies if they want,” said Ms. Roberts, “but they have to be different kinds of that fruit or veggie.”
Many people believed that most of our food is fried. But, no, It’s not; it’s baked. One of the popular items french fries were believed by many to be fried. “ We haven’t had a deep fryer for many years,” stated Ms. Roberts. This has helped increase the nutritional value of our fries as well as their amount of salt. “We aren’t allowed to sprinkle too much salt,” she said. “It keeps the sodium levels low.”