Healthy Eating

Old Trail School’s approach to providing a healthy menu for students is “more fresh, less cooked.” The School’s dining room buys as much local, homegrown produce as possible and will present these items uncooked whenever possible as raw fruits and vegetables retain more vitamins and minerals, not to mention taste and color.

Healthy lunchtime alternatives  include whole wheat pizza crust, light or wheat breads and buns, ground turkey, un-breaded chicken tenders  and more. Students learn to have open minds about new foods and try new things. Beverage options include two percent white milk, one percent chocolate milk, orange juice, fresh fruit infused water and plain water. Health Checks, a Metz concept, consists of recipes using lower sodium, lower calories and limited saturated fats. Alternatives for  items containing  HFC (high fructose corn syrup) are being purchased whenever possible, or the item is being made from scratch.

A salad bar featuring seasonally local grown produce is available every day for students in grades three through eight and popular lunch favorites include the “cooked to order” station (pasta, omelets), deli bar and pizza day.

Eggs are being purchased from a farm just down the road. Brunty Farms eggs are higher in Omega-3's and lower in the bad cholesterol.

Once a month, our Education in the  Dining Room program presents a sampling station, often run by eighth graders. Students are able to taste cucumbers, green peppers, radishes, garlic, or spinach. Presentation may be as simple as cucumber slices or spinach pasta. Samples may also include a selection of Ohio produced items as we do on Ohio Proud Day.  Students are given facts about the items and what health benefits for your body they provide.