Friday, April 3, 2009
For Immediate Release: March 2009
Contact: Susan Regal Wagner
312-280-9061
Where World History and Social Studies Meet the School Cafeteria
New survey shows that youths want more authentic ethnic dishes
(CHICAGO, Ill.) Pop quiz: What ethnic foods are on the wish list of some of today?s grade school and middle school students: a) ramen noodles, b) spaghetti, c) tacos, d) Indian tandori chicken, or e) all of the above.
While ramen noodles, spaghetti and tacos ? along with pizza, burritos and egg rolls, to name a few internationally-inspired classic dishes ? are perennial favorites among Americans of all ages, those who answered ?all of the above? get an ?A? for their astuteness. A recent poll ? the Dream Kitchen Survey® ? conducted by Y-Pulse, LLC reveals that today?s youngsters are knowledgeable about ethnic fare and have tasted and enjoyed a variety of authentic foods from around the globe.
In the Dream Kitchen Survey®, which queried school aged students through the whyville.net online community about their notion of the ultimate school cafeteria, one noteworthy trend to emerge from the open-ended responses was youngsters? interest in truly global foods.
?This is a generation that knows ? and orders ? menu items like baba ghanouj, tiramisu, pad thai, and empanadas,? remarks Sharon Olson, co-founder of Y-Pulse, which maintains offices in Chicago, IL and Alexandria, VA ?Through this survey, we learned that they are interested in having a broader variety of authentic ethnic foods as choices for school meals.?
Beyond citing specific dishes they would like served up in their dream kitchen, such as wonton soup, Japanese sushi, hummus, quesadillas and calamari, to name a few, many young respondents indicated they would like to see a regular cross-cultural mix of items on their school foodservice menu. ?One student requested that their cafeteria include four different sections devoted to authentic regional dishes, including Chinese, Italian, Mexican and traditional American,? reports Tami Cline, co-founder of Y-Pulse and longtime foodservice industry consultant and former foodservice director. ?Another envisioned a ?World Wonder? cart that would rotate multicultural foods such as Swedish meatballs and Indian fare. These and many other answers show there is a strong exposure to global cuisines that can be successfully tapped in the school foodservice setting"
Other ?dream kitchen? wishes included the following comments from young participants:
- ?Dinner would always be a choice of different ethnic foods and regular foods, so that you could have something different every day of the month. With that in mind, Indian, Mexican, American, French, and Italian cuisine would be wonderful choices for this menu.?
- "If we had the technology, I would like to see a more ethnic variation of food. I would want Chinese, South American, Cuban, Spanish, French, Italian, African, and so much more different types of food.?
- ?Foods and drinks that I'd love to try would be from around the earth.... Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Filipino, Korea and our Old Fashioned American food!?
Some respondents? ideas reflected the interconnection that has become a hallmark of this generation. One person, for instance, wrote that their dream kitchen would not only include authentic ethnic dishes but such meals would be complemented with information about the particular nation or culture: ?After all, people can really be united over a good meal, and what better way for teachers to teach about India, than to throw in fun things like talking about the Indian food people had for lunch the day before.?
According to Cline, school foodservice operators can expand the global flair of the foods they serve, and along with it, their patrons? palates and education. ?Creating authentic ethnic dishes doesn?t have to be complex or expensive. It can be as simple as buying and using different types of spices and seasonings or not being afraid to try out ideas on this receptive demographic,? she points out. ?The beauty of it is that there is literally a whole world of alternatives when it comes to authentic ethnic cuisine.?
Y-Pulse, LLC, which conducted the Dream Kitchen Survey®, is a research and consulting firm that specializes in helping companies in the food business better understand tomorrow?s tastemakers today. It is a certified Women?s Business Enterprise, with offices located in Chicago and Alexandria, VA. For more information on Y-Pulse, their services offered or upcoming studies, please contact info@ypulse.org, at 312.280.9061. Y-Pulse is a registered trademark of Y-Pulse LLC. ###