Students may have been surprised to walk into lunch on March 28th to find free samples of seasoned turnips and beets.  These root vegetables were obtained through a grant by Lisa Greathouse, MCCSC coordinator of school health.  By putting these vegetables out, Greathouse hoped to give students the opportunity to try foods they may not have tried before, and to understand that healthy food can taste good.

The experiment proved successful.  Many students made positive remarks about the vegetables made available to them, commenting on the flavor of the turnips specifically.

Junior Will Riggert noted that he, “wouldn’t be opposed to having them again in a school lunch.”

Interestingly enough, the vegetables supplied were from Piazza Produce, the same company that provides Bloomington High School South with its vegetables.  This leads to speculation that the vegetables tested during lunch could be implemented into meals at South.  Greathouse mentioned a school in Ellettsville  that allowed students to cast their votes as to what foods appeared in school lunches for a certain period of time.  Whether or not school lunches will be changed at South is unclear at this time, but at least most all students enjoyed the seasoned turnips.

Freshman Eli Chafin was especially enthusiastic, claiming that “putting seasoned turnips in the school lunches would not only taste good, but it would give us lots of energy to get down and dirty after school.”

This has not been disproved.