Taste test school lunch!

This fall the USDA is implementing new school lunch standards that require schools to offer fruits and vegetables every day, use more whole grains, and serve low fat milk.

So with school lunch in the spotlight, the Public Insight Network is throwing a School Lunch Potluck! Next week, we'll be cooking Beef Stroganoff, Scalloped Potatoes, Taco Pie, and all kinds of other favorites from our school years -- using real current day recipes from the USDA -- to see how much the times have changed. And we want YOU to join us in this nostalgic experiment.

(Photo by Laura Taylor, via Flickr)

Here's how it works:

1. Pick your favorite classic school meal recipe from the USDA website, or get fancy with an expanded set of recipes here. (Unless you're serving a group of 50, you'll probably have to scale the recipes down. Don't worry, the USDA has instructions on how to do that here).

2. Cook for your family, cook for your friends, gather a group of people together and host your own school lunch potluck.

3. Use the form below to report back on your meal and upload photos.

We'd be thrilled if you sent us some audio of your and your guests' reaction to the meal by clicking the SoundCloud Button below to record and upload your sound.

And even if you don't have the time or inclination to be part of our virtual potluck, please answer the first question below. We want your school lunch memories!

Send us your sounds

* indicates required field

First Name *

Last Name *

E-mail *

Phone

City *

State or Province

Postal Code *

Country *

What do you remember most about school lunch? It could be the way a certain dish tasted, it could be a favorite lunch server -- tell us about whatever you remember most.

What dish did you choose to make, and why?

How did it turn out? How did you, your friends, and your family like it? How did it compare to what you remember from eating school lunch as a kid?

Did making the dish make you think differently about school lunch? How so?

If you have a photo of what you made - or even just of yourself! - please upload it here.... (No larger than 10MB, please!)

....Upload another one here.....

....And another one here.

Please share some details about these photos: the credit, names, date, location, and what they're of.

May we publish your insights (and any uploaded files) and attribute them to you? (Your comments may be edited for length or clarity.) *

Yes
No
Contact me first

Finally, a few optional questions that will help us understand more about your perspective...

In what year were you born?

Which of these best describes your education level?

What do you do for work?

What is your household income?

Thanks for participating!

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