Erlanger-Elsmere Schools is hosting hands-on culinary training to inspire healthy, nutrient-rich school meals.
Healthy Cuisine for Kids 2018
is a two-day, hands-on culinary training that aims to equip school food service workers with tips, techniques, and tried-and-true recipes that promote scratch-made, nutrient-rich foods that are flavorful – and fun.
It will be held at Lloyd Memorial High School,
450 Bartlett Avenue, Erlanger, starting Thursday.
Stir Fry Fajita with Chicken, Squash, and Corn… Mediterranean Quinoa Salad… Porcupine Sliders… Eagle Pizza… Roasted Fish Wrap with Crispy Slaw… It sounds like the specials at a trendy new restaurant. But when school begins in the fall, many of these items will be on the menu in our area schools.
Thirty participants, including staff from Erlanger-Elsmere, Campbell County Schools and the Diocese of Covington schools, will work side-by-side with Chef Bernadette Paul and Chef Brenda Thompson-Wattles from the Institute of Child Nutrition to learn special dishes geared toward school-aged children. Each carefully-crafted recipe is low in calories while still fresh, visually-appealing, and of course, delicious.
Both accomplished chefs will provide hands-on instruction in creating entrees from scratch using such herbs as cilantro, garlic, parsley, and thyme; familiar vegetables such as tomatoes, broccoli, and romaine lettuce; and less-familiar options such as butternut squash, bok choy, kale, and Swiss chard. As they prepare recipes, participants will learn new knife skills, preparation tips, and other useful culinary techniques. When the school year begins, each school will be equipped with a new toolkit of wonderful recipes to fuel growing students through their school days.
The program is provided at no cost to the participating school districts thanks to the generous support of the Kentucky Department of Education – Division of School and Community Nutrition, which is sponsoring the program at various locations across the state this summer. Jennifer Harrod, Training Development Specialist with the Division of School and Community Nutrition, will be on hand both days to oversee the program.
Jan Kushniroff, retiring food service director for Erlanger-Elsmere Schools, applied for the opportunity for the schools in part as an endcap to her long legacy of working hard to ensure the district’s students have the opportunity to eat nourishing foods that fuel healthy minds.
“I am retiring on June 29, and I wanted my last days to be spent with our food service staff gaining experience working with chefs and learning to create healthy meals,” Mrs. Kushniroff said. “This specialized training will not only be helpful when they return to their cook-baker jobs in August but can be used in countless ways as they prepare and serve fresh, healthy, made-from-scratch meals. This training will help instill the knowledge and confidence that what they are serving the future members of the community makes a difference.”
