Yesterday I taste tested some fresh parsley and dill from the greenhouse. As I was passing out samples of the herbs, the janitor came up to me and said, “You know, the kids might like those greens if you cooked them in something, but they’ll never like them on their own.” With pride, I was able to show him the ‘Tried It, Liked It, Loved It’ and show him how many stickers students had put in the loved it box. “Well, how old were those students?” “K-5!” He stood corrected.

We have so many assumptions about what young people will or will not eat. The second I give them the chance to try new things I am always astounded by the positive feedback! Now I wonder how the culture that is created in taste tests can be recreated every day when students receive school lunch.