North Pole students test pollock lunches

FAIRBANKS - North Pole High School is part of a survey to see if hot lunches made with Alaska pollock will hook students.

The school is among the first in the nation to try four new pollock lunches. Every Thursday in November, students will be offered fish dishes along with the usual hot lunch fare.

The lunches were developed by the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers, a trade association.

Amy Rouse, director of nutrition services for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, said the partnership helps the school district nutrition program achieve its goals of providing nutritious food that students want to eat.

The district also is working toward using more Alaska-grown foods.

The association was started three years ago to improve the quality of the fish and make more people aware of how prevalent pollock is, said Pat Shanahan, the association program director.

Alaska pollock is the most consumed fish in the nation. It's found in fish sticks and the offerings of McDonald's, Long John Silvers and Taco Del Mar, she said. Pollock is the most consumed fish in Germany.

"We wanted to put a name on this nameless fish," she said.

The association decided schools were a good test market because the students can be discerning tasters.

And what do the discerning tasters think of the Alaska Po' Boy sandwich and the Alaska Baja salad, wrap and taco?

"We have received excellent feedback," Rouse said.

The most popular dish among the students was a salad, followed closely by a sandwich.