Wichita Public Schools Superintendent and Board of Education members will kick off National School Lunch Week Monday by trying out the new "Build Your Own Lunch" program at an area middle school.
Superintendent John Allison and board members will go through the meal lines at Wichita's Hamilton Middle School and eat lunch with students in their new cafeteria to celebrate improvements to school menus and food presentation.
The "build your own" option is available once a week. Students can build their own burritos, hamburgers, noodle bowls and other items. School district spokesperson Susan Arensman says the students will get the base part of the meal first.
"Then they can put on chicken, or they can put on the cheese or other items to make it their own," Arensman says. "Obviously if they make it themselves they are more likely to eat it, so that is a great way for them to get involved with their lunches and to eat what they want."
The "build your own" options are part of new menu items offered this year. Wichita Public Schools serves about 31,000 lunches and 11,500 breakfasts each day.
--
Carla Eckels is assistant news director and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.
To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.
