New Haven Independent

Tavon Batts and the other second-graders at Nathan Hale were part of the first lunch wave Friday to try out the latest health-conscious addition to the New Haven public schools’ menu.

Grace Daniele and the other lunch ladies were ready. They’d prepared 452 servings of whole-wheat pancakes, along with turkey sausages, warmed cinnamon apple slices, and a bowl of fresh apples. They’d sampled the goods themselves, and deemed it a tasty improvement.

“They were just regular Aunt Jemima pancakes” before, Daniele said.

At 10:20 a.m., their most important critics burst through the doors.

Tavon thought he smelled french toast when he and his pals entered the caf. Maybe it was the syrup.

When he saw the pancakes, he dug right in — once he figured out how to use his spork in the process.

Click on the play arrow above to watch Tavon’s taste test.

Tim Cipriano was watching. Cipriano, known to viewers of WFSB Channel 3 as the “Food Dude,” sat among the kids to check out their reactions. The school system hired him this year to revolutionize the menu. He’s been introducing fresh produce and more healthful ingredients — like the new pancakes, as well as whole-grain tortillas.

The feds helped him do it, sending money as part of a pilot nutrition program.

“The USDA [United States Department of Agriculture” came to work with us because of our commitment to using whole-grain products in our schools,” Cipriano said. “We’re going to track the students to see their reactions.”

Tavon was too busy at first to comment — busy eating. He eventually took a pause and was asked if these pancakes tasted different from the Aunt Jemima box variety.

“Pancakes are pancakes,” he said.

And pancakes taste good.

Cipriano pressed him about any possible differences. Maybe these are a little different, Tavon offered. A little better.

Around the room hungry second-graders were devouring the batch. Cipriano made the rounds, and proclaimed the test an unqualified success.

Click here for the school system’s daily menus.

Past coverage of the public schools’ health-conscious campaign:

• On The Menu: Baked Chicken
• New School Lunches Face Toughest Critics
• Teens Are Eating String Beans
• Food Dude Cooking With Technology
• Schools Snare “Food Dude”