Lunchtime Heating Up At Rockville High School

VERNON, CT — Things have been heating up in the Rockville High School lunch room over the last few days.

It's not just thousands of chicken nuggets and fries and pizza slices. The menu has become a lot more diverse.

For example, on Tuesday, RHS Cafeteria Manager Zet Rodriguez served up a delicious homemade lunch inspired by Puerto Rico — her birthplace. Rodriguez and her team made chicken drumsticks (muslo) seasoned in sofrito, rice and beans (arroz con habichuelas), and Puerto Rican potato salad (ensalada de papa).

Then there was last week, when the cafeteria team whipped up roasted pepper hummus using a surplus of sweet bell peppers from Cloverleigh Farm in nearby Columbia.

The peppers were roasted at high heat to bring out the flavor and then pureed with chickpeas, garlic, lemon, and salt to create a creamy hummus spread.

"Through farm-to-school initiatives, we empower students to develop healthy eating habits by purchasing fresh food from local farms to serve in the cafeteria and by strengthening nutrition education in the classroom," Vernon Public Schools Director of Food and Nutrition Elizabeth Fisher said. By partnering with local farms, we increase students’ food literacy and connection to the land, their environment and community."

All students can purchase breakfast and lunch every day at school. Families that might qualify for free or reduced-price meals, can submit a meal application is available on the VPS website.