Last spring, Elsa Hammerman noticed something was missing from her school’s cafeteria menu. Her favorite meal, roasted chicken, was gone. It was one of several items that had been removed because of budget cuts at public schools in New York City. 

Elsa wrote a letter to the director of food services for the city’s school cafeterias. She politely asked him to bring back roasted chicken. A couple of months later, Elsa’s favorite meal was once again being served at her school, P.S./I.S. 187.

“I was so excited,” the 11-year-old says. “My friends and I always looked forward to the roasted chicken. And it was back!” 

Elsa also found out that there are other ways she could have a say in what’s served in her cafeteria.

Last spring, Elsa Hammerman noticed something at lunch. Her favorite meal, roasted chicken, was gone from her school’s cafeteria menu. It had been removed because of budget cuts at public schools in New York City. 

Elsa wrote a letter. She sent it to the official in charge of the city’s school cafeterias. She politely asked him to bring back roasted chicken. A couple of months later, the dish was back on the menu at her school, P.S./I.S. 187.

“I was so excited,” the 11-year-old says. “My friends and I always looked forward to the roasted chicken. And it was back!” 

Elsa also learned that there are other ways she could help plan what’s served in her cafeteria.

Elsa’s letter earned her class an invitation to the New York City Public Schools test kitchen. That is where menus for the entire New York City school district—the largest in the United States—are created.

Elsa and her classmates were among the hundreds of students who visited the test kitchen last year. They helped select the foods that are served to more than 912,000 kids, from kindergarten through high school. 

“It’s so important that kids have a say in what they’re served for lunch,” says Nelson Quiles. He works for the New York City Public Schools Office of Food and Nutrition Services. 

At each taste-testing session, students sample four or five foods. They vote on whether they like each one and give feedback. Quiles says it’s important for students to be honest and give a lot of details. 

“For instance, don’t just tell us it’s gross,” he explains. “We ask, ‘Is it too salty? Is it a texture thing?’”

Elsa’s class tasted hummus and a barbecue chicken sandwich. They also tried a pasta dish called manicotti, which didn’t earn a thumbs-up. But an egg-and-cheese sandwich did. Most of the students liked it, though some thought the bread was too soggy. 

More than 1,500 kids taste each new dish. At least 70 percent of them must give their stamp of approval before the food appears in schools. 

“We want to make sure the food is not only healthy but something kids actually want to eat,” Quiles explains.

Thanks to Elsa’s letter, her class was invited to the New York City Public Schools test kitchen. That is where menus for the entire New York City school district are created. This is the largest school district in the United States.

Hundreds of students visited the test kitchen last year. Elsa and her classmates were among them. They helped pick the foods that are served to more than 912,000 kids. That includes kids from kindergarten through high school.  

“It’s so important that kids have a say in what they’re served for lunch,” says Nelson Quiles. He works for the New York City Public Schools Office of Food and Nutrition Services. 

At each session, students sample four or five foods. They vote on whether they like each one. Then they give comments. Quiles says it’s important for students to be honest and give a lot of details. 

“For instance, don’t just tell us it’s gross,” he explains. “We ask, ‘Is it too salty? Is it a texture thing?’”

Elsa’s class tasted hummus and a barbecue chicken sandwich. They also tried a pasta dish called manicotti. It didn’t earn a thumbs-up. But an egg-and-cheese sandwich did. Most of the students liked it, though some thought the bread was too soggy. 

More than 1,500 kids taste each new dish. If at least 70 percent of them like a dish, it can appear in schools.  

“We want to make sure the food is not only healthy but something kids actually want to eat,” Quiles explains.