Marketing
Marketing
Taste Test Table Setting up a taste test table is a highly visible and effective way to increase awareness of your Farm to School program. A taste test table can be as simple as a table in a visible area of the cafeteria where a single volunteer displays and distributes samples and collects votes. Depending on how the lunch period is structured, students may approach the table freely; be instructed to approach the table by a volunteer/ monitor; or approach the table on their way into/out of the cafeteria. Build it up from there with these add- ons: ⇢ Voting board with “I love it”, “I like it”, and “It’s not my favorite” ⇢ “I tried it!” or other stickers for students ⇢ Tablecloth ⇢ Harvest of the Month or other posters ⇢ Educational display ⇢ Educational interaction ⇢ F2S shirts for volunteers/staff Pros: • Highly visible • Allows for interaction and education • Involving staff/volunteers can increase program buy-in/ support Cons: • More prep time • Requires staff/volunteer involvement For more detailed information on taste tests, here is a comprehensive guide
Becky O’Connor, MPH and Julie Raway, MPH, RDN, CDN, SNS, FAND Taste Tests FARM TO SCHOOL
Why Your District Should do Farm to School Taste Tests There are numerous ways in which different schools and districts around the country participate in the Farm to School movement. For many, taste tests are an effective way to engage multiple stakeholders within schools with the common goal of cooking and tasting new foods. Taste tests can serve several important goals for farm to school programs, including: • Gain student and staff feedback on new recipes and items before putting them on the menu. • Increase students’ familiarity with newer menu items. • Provide hands-on learning experiences and introduce students to the sources of their food. • Build support from school staff, raise community awareness, and promote the farm to school program. How Farm to School Taste Tests Can Be Conducted In the cafeteria, food is prepared in the school kitchen and served in the cafeteria. Classroom taste tests are typically part of an educational activity, and the food is prepared in advance. By preparing taste tests in the cafeteria kitchen, you spark conversation among kitchen staff about the process for preparing fresh foods and Farm to School in general. Additionally, this method provides opportunities for kitchen staff to build relationships and discuss any potential questions or concerns about future Farm to School menu items. Taste tests in classroom often accompany an educational activity about fruits and vegetables, gardening, local agriculture, or exploring new flavors with the students. It is recommended that the food is prepared in the school kitchen, however it could also be prepared in advance in a kitchen off-site. In some cases, schools may have cooking carts, which are a great opportunity to involve students directly in the cooking process.
Easy Approaches to a Farm to School Taste Test Offering Samples on the Lunch Line This is the most basic taste test and may work best for districts that do not have enough volunteer or staff support to offer samples in the cafeteria to students. It might also be a good fit for districts with high lunch participation, but if possible, it’s best to pair this method with other special Farm to School promotions in the cafeteria. All you have to do is serve and promote the item on your lunch line and use one of the voting methods to see how students liked it. If there is the capacity, also offer samples to students who did not select this lunch item (e.g., sample tray at point of sale). Pros: • Low cost • Limited staff/volunteer involvement • Low prep time Cons: • Less visible/impactful than Taste Test Table and Trays Taste Test Trays Walking around with a tray to pass out samples can be a good fit during lunch periods where students need to stay in their seats. This is also a great method to pair with other taste test methods. Simply load up the tray and walk around the lunchroom, looking for students who did not get the featured item as part of their meal. It’s a great opportunity for positive interactions with students. Pros: • Easy to make sure everyone tries a sample • Low prep time • Volunteers can assess students’ tray Cons: • May require 2 volunteers (one to distribute samples, one to manage voting) • Less visible/impactful than Taste Test Table
21 SPECIAL EDITION Promote Your Taste Test Whether you’re setting up a full table display or simply including the feature item on the lunch line, it’s important to promote your taste test. Here are some best practices: • Highlight it on your lunch menu • Promote it on social media, and share info with parents • Include it on morning and afternoon announcements • Have teachers encourage students to try the feature item, and remind them about it as they head to the cafeteria • Have servers on the lunch line encourage students to try it • Have cafeteria/lunch monitors talk to students throughout the lunch period to ask them if they tried it/ liked it • Provide samples for teachers to try in front of students • Bring samples to administrators and office staff
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