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Taste Testing

Taste-testing sessions at Oxford Regional High and Elementary Schools have and will continue to introduce students to new (healthy/local) foods and give them the opportunity to provide input into which new items they would like to see offered at the school cafeteria.

Location:  The Oxford Regional High School Home Economics classroom and the Oxford Regional Elementary School muffin room.  These facilities provide the necessary equipment/environment required for taste-testing.

Frequency:  1 sampling session is held each month throughout the school year with approximately 4 products being evaluated per session. 

Time:   Sampling commenced in October 2002 and will continue until June, 2004.  

Student Participants:  One senior high class (approximately 20 students) and one junior high class (approximately 20 students) participate in each taste-testing session at Oxford High.  Two classes also participate in the Elementary taste-testing.  Students sample in intervals with small groups of students (approximately 6) sampling during each interval.  Students who have sampled the products are kept separated from their classmates who have not.  This will help to eliminate discussion between students.

Duration:  30 minutes for each class is allotted for sampling.

Staffing:  The project Coordinator along with a representative from the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Fisheries are in regular attendance during the taste-testing sessions.  A producer and a promotions specialist will also be invited to attend each session. 

Products:  Products are sampled from various commodity groups including fruit, vegetables, pork, turkey, chicken, beef, soy, fish, grain, dairy, etc…. 

Evaluation:  Students are asked to evaluate sample products by filling out an opinions card and dropping it into a box to maintain anonymity.

Cafeteria:  One product from each sample set will be selected for sampling in the cafeteria.  Products will be tested for a straight week.  Point of sale signage, handouts and general product promotion has been considered.

Sessions to Date

Oxford Regional High School

Session 1:

Our first taste-testing session took place on October 16.  We had 35 students participate.  Products sampled included Cortland apples, Jonagold apples, fruit cups, and dried apple rings. 

Session 2:

Our second taste-testing session took place on November 20.  We had 35 students participate.  Products sampled included Greek Feta Pasta, Potato salad, Caesar Pasta Salad, Gourmet Vegetable salad, carrot sticks, and broccoli.

Session 3:

Our third taste-testing session took place on February 19, 2003 .  We had approximately 35 students participate.  Students had the opportunity to sample dried blueberry products.

Session 4:

Our fourth taste-testing session took place on April 23, 2003 .  We had approximately 46 students participate.  Students had the opportunity to sample different milk flavors including 2% white, chocolate, strawberry, banana, and orange.

Session 5:

Our fifth taste-testing session took place on May 21, 2003 .  We had approximately 52 students participate.   4 different flavors of fat-free frozen yogurt were sampled including chocolate, coffee, strawberry, and cran-raspberry.

Grade 8 students at Oxford Regional High School were also given the opportunity to sample maple products during a field trip on April 3, 2003 .

Oxford Regional Elementary School

Session 1:

The first taste-testing session at Oxford Elementary School took place on April 25, 2003.  Students had the opportunity to sample dried blueberry products.

Session 2:

Our fifth taste-testing session at Oxford Elementary School took place on June 2, 2003.   different flavors of fat-free frozen yogurt were sampled including chocolate, coffee, strawberry, and cran-raspberry.

Last modified: July 03, 2003