Steal This Idea: Spaghetti Tacos

The ideas, photos and recipes coming to us from our partnership with School Meals That Rock are an amazing source of inspiration. Some of the ideas and stories are too good not to share! Like this one from Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD in Texas…

The team at EM-S ISD was inspired by a session at ANC to feature a “fusion food” each month, mashing up two different ethnic cuisines. October’s dish was Spaghetti Tacos, using Jennie-O turkey pasta sauce and Barilla® Whole Grain pasta inside a crispy taco shell. “We got a little pushback from parents who wondered why we were serving a carb inside a carb,” said EMS RD Meghan Martinson, “but it actually replaces a breadstick or garlic bread with a whole grain taco shell for the second grain portion, which is a nutritional upgrade.”

And at the end of the day, it’s about the kids, and Meghan’s team is giving them what they want, especially at the middle- and high-school level. “The crispy shell works better than a soft shell for appearance and gives it that textural ‘pop.’” Even though it takes a little more care and labor to serve, “it’s worth it for the boost in participation. Kids eat with their eyes before they participate in school lunch!”

We love the fusion food idea, something we see our restaurant customers doing with great success, attracting younger diners. EMS is getting in on the action early!

 

20161018_110217

Check out the recipe for Spaghetti Tacos here. >>>