Harvest Rolls

Michael Rosenberger, director of food and nutrition services for the Irving Independent School District in Texas, says one of his most successful recipe makeovers was with the district’s rolls, which have always been made in house.

“Our bakers are very, very talented,” Rosenberger says. “We realized, however, that while our white flour roll was, and is, a huge success, we didn’t have an equally delicious roll made with at least 51% whole wheat.” So Rosenberger held a contest to see which school could come up with the best whole-wheat roll recipe. As an incentive, the winning school’s kitchen received $1,000 and the runner-up received $500.

“We organized the contest so that, eventually, the best secondary school kitchen recipe would go head-to-head against the best elementary school kitchen recipe,” he adds. “Elementary and secondary kitchens were placed into pods of four, respectively, from which one winner would emerge. The next month, pod winners went head-to-head, and so on. The best roll with at least 51% whole wheat from the secondary school kitchens battled it out with the winner from the elementary school kitchens, in a blind taste test, with the winner to take all.”