About 10:45 a.m., students shuffled into the cafeteria for some new food experiences – at least new to them.

On the lunch menu were not your typical entrees. Students were introduced to Mongolian Meatballs over garlic rice, roasted maple Brussel sprouts, and assorted fruit.

According to Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest New York Procurement Specialist Becky O’Connor, except for the meatballs which were made with beef from New York State, most of the food was farm-to-table.

As a specialist, O’Connor supports the local procurement of foods used in schools. She said the maple syrup used on the Brussel sprouts was locally sourced.

Lily Harvey

O’Connor said the goal for Tuesday’s training was to be able to increase scratch cooking, and to use local ingredients with all new recipes.

“There’s a lot of support from the state to increase scratch cooking,” O’Connor noted.

Superintendent Lynda Quick said Frewsburg was the first school in the area to participate in the Regional Roots program.

“Through this partnership with the NYS (New York State) Department of Education and Cornell Cooperative Extension, our kitchen staff (members) were able to enhance their skills to prepare scratch-cooked, locally-sourced meals for our students,” Quick said. “It was a great culinary experience for our district.”

Senior Lily Harvey said the portions of food were normal sized.

Aubrey Ecklund

“It (the food) actually filled you up, and it was a cultural difference,” Lily said. “It wasn’t just one part of lunch that was enjoyable, I felt like the entire lunch was.”

Sitting with her friends, Lily said “it filled everyone up. We were all like ‘that was a good amount of it (food).”

Senior Aubrey Ecklund agreed.

“I think it was awesome. It was so good,” Aubrey said.

Aubrey said she usually doesn’t eat Brussel sprouts.

“But those ones were good,” Aubrey said.”Normally they just have a weird taste to them. But those ones didn’t.”

And for the meatballs.

“Whatever sauce they had on the meatballs, I like. I mixed it (and meatballs) into my rice, and it was awesome,” Aubrey noted.

O’Connor noted that Clymer, Sherman, and Allegany-Limestone school districts in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties also will participate in the program: