Kids okay with healthier lunches, but miss soup - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

It's lunch time at Perrysburg High School--but it's is no ordinary lunch hour. USDA Administrator Audrey Rowe is a special guest. Rowe is here to see how students are dealing with the new healthier lunch menu standards implemented by the USDA.

Cookies and sugary snacks are no longer served at school, but fruits and vegetables are plentiful. Today Rowe got an earful from students.

Sophomore Mallory Gremler said, "I had the main lunch which was like barbecue or something and it wasn't even that good."

Olivia Chambers, also a sophomore, would like more variety. "I just think that we would eat it more if there were different fruits everyday but there's the same thing everyday apple sauce and grapes."

What really has the kids concerned is the lack of soup on the menu.

Rowe says this is the first soup complaint she's heard. "I've never heard anyone say they want the soup back and I was so impressed when they started telling me what they wanted back. We're going to do a survey and work with schools across the country. This school is going to have soup! "

Rowe says the challenge with soup is counting the additional grains and protein in the portions, but that soup will be on the menu next month.

She's also pushing for more variety and flavor in the meals.

"What I am seeing around schools in the country from the little ones who are loving broccoli and spinach and learning new vegetables and telling me about starfruit, which is their favorite I had to figure out what it was and the students who say it's a change but were willing to try."