Savannah Classical Academy is making school lunch fun, but more importantly, healthy

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - For years when you thought of school lunches, it probably wasn’t in a positive light.

But one local charter school has been working to change the perception giving their students some delicious and more importantly healthy options.

“I’ve had more school meals in my career now that we have our school nutrition program because they’re good meals.”

Savannah Classical Academy’s CEO Barry Lollis is a big fan of some of the changes they’ve made to how they handle their school lunches.

“Traditionally our meals were prepared off sight by the county school system and brought over and served in the line. That’s when you have it prepared off sight and brought over because you’re limited on the things you can do versus having a built out kitchen on sight where you can do a variety of things and serve almost anything.”

The meals now a far cry from a typical school lunch.

“Kids usually eat with their eyes before they eat with anything else,” said SCA Student Nutrition Program Manager Kerry Saengthong.

Not only does it look and taste better it gives students options.

“Part of what makes us exceptional is students have a choice. So, we give them a menu and children get to preselect what they want for their meal. That helps us with cost saving, so we’re not preparing things they don’t want, and we don’t need extra of and it gives them ownership in what they’re participating in,” said Lollis.

The meals, of course, all healthy options including vegetables, fruits, and protein, and surprisingly it seems those healthy options have become something they crave.

“We actually sometimes run out of the salad which is crazy,” said Saengthong

Helping them create healthy habits and while giving them the fuel they need to succeed.

“Fill them up and also help them grow and help feed their brain so they can focus and concentrate in class,” Saengthong said.

SCA has a rotating menu and said they even ask students for input on what they do and don’t like.

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