Merced Union High School District

Everyday, students are lining up at the cafeteria for our MUHSD lunch menu. With a daily offering of meals such as cheeseburgers, salads, wraps, and nachos, it’s a guarantee that every student has the opportunity to eat a fulfilling lunch at school. These choices are already known and loved by the students who enjoy them every day, but diverting from the usual menu is always welcome. That being said, on October 13th to 17th, our Nutrition Services introduced a brand new array of options: the Taste the World menu. Each day of the week was a different food coming from five different cultures, and this new approach proved to be an astounding success. 

Monday celebrated Asian culture, giving students a ramen bowl; with various topping options, everyone curated their own personalized ramen. Tuesday was Mexico; the cafeteria served street tacos, with the choice between birria or asada, and a collection of toppings. Wednesday had Indian culture — chicken curry with rice, complete with butter naan. Thursday was Italy, serving chicken parmesan pasta, topped with cheese and cilantro. Finally, Friday was an emphasis on America, with a choice of barbecue or mango habanero chicken wings, served alongside potato wedges. 

These new food options had students lining outside cafeteria doors every day — Lisa Mendoza, MUHSD’s Director of Nutrition Services, recounted that every school had such high demand for the Taste the World Menu. “The students were excited to try the new entree items, even to the point that we sold out at each site,” said Mendoza. “This goes to show that the students are open to trying new foods.” Along with the assistant director, Rosemary Cota, Mendoza saw the response of students to the new menu, receiving substantial enjoyment from every grade. These culturally diverse food options not only provided students with tasty dishes, but also opened up a new understanding of ethnic dishes, combining school cuisine with the development of student culture. 

While there’s no specific data to prove what the students’ favorite food item was, I asked a few different students from each school site and got a majority vote in favor of the street tacos. Much to their contentment, the tacos, along with the chicken parmesan dish, have been added to the cafeteria menu for November and December. For those who miss the other dishes — there are tentative plans to add ramen and chicken curry to the winter menu, then the buffalo wings for the spring. 

The success of that week’s menu could not have been as potent without our district’s incredible nutritional staff. Cafeteria staff had decorated the serving windows, and some even dressed up to fit each day’s new culture. Of course, with new dishes present new challenges — some of the menu items were completely new with staff members. It was a push outside of their comfort zone, and staff members were encouraged to sample these dishes they prepared. 

The Taste the World Menu was an exciting new addition to the lunch experience at each school site. The integration of appreciating culture through cuisine was an enlightening experience for both students and staff. The enjoyment of each dish provided new opportunities for the cafeteria, and the students are continuing to enjoy the hard work put into the school cuisine every day. School lunch is an integral part of the school day, and each campus throughout the district is so grateful for all the effort put into the food by the cafeteria staff. The new menu was not only a taste of the world, but an example of the great cuisine we get from our workers every day. 

Claire Cuenca is a senior at Buhach Colony High School and student intern for the MUHSD Communications Department.