Game introduces Boardman students to new vegetables
Boardman Local Schools is hoping its new spin on solving the age old problem of getting kids to eat their vegetables will be a successful one.

Boardman Local Schools is hoping its new spin on solving the age old problem of getting kids to eat their vegetables will be a successful one. On Wednesday, the district hosted the game Wheel of Food Fortune during its lunch periods at Center Middle School hoping to challenge students to try something new and healthy.
"We are trying the wheel because if they do try it without the pressure of having it on their tray, then maybe they will say, 'Oh, let me take one little bite,' and they will like it versus having a bunch of it on their tray that they are intimidated by and then end up throwing it away," said Boardman food service director Natalie Winkle.
Boardman Local Schools is one of four areas schools that's receive a grant from the Ohio Department of Education that allowed for the taste testing event. Working with the local Ohio State Extension Office, the four districts created their own menus. On the table in Boardman were foods like edamame, Parmesan zucchini straws and sweet spicy garbanzo beans.
"We are going to do evaluations. I am also going to do some plate waste studies to see once we put the items on the menu, did we reduce place waste? So, we will have some feedback from that," said Beth Stefura with the OSU Extension.
As federal nutrition guidelines have changed over the years, food service directors have had to become more creative in their offerings. Boardman's director Natalie Winkle says she chose to play Wheel of Food Fortune at the elementary and middle school levels because students of those ages are more willing to try new things.
"You have to introduce it slowly so they will get accustom to it," said Winkle.
In addition to the new vegetables, which will be added to the menu, the district is launching a spice station. Ever since sodium limits were placed on school meals, some students have complained of a lack of flavor. Winkle hopes the spice station will boost the taste of some meals.