Sushi passes taste test at Wiregrass High

Sydney Simpson didn't know what to expect when she popped the morsel in her mouth.

"It was good. I liked it," she said after a series of surprised facial expressions and what sounded like a yelp. "It was spicy shrimp. I'd definitely have this instead" of pizza or a chicken sandwich.

A junior at Wiregrass High School, Sydney was one of the school's roughly 1,800 students who had a chance to try free sushi during lunch today.

The food was provided by Schwan's Food Service, which asked students to fill out cards stating whether or not they would eat sushi for lunch instead of the usual school cafeteria fare such as pizza or hamburgers and french fries.

Pasco County School District officials said the test run at Wiregrass was meant to gauge whether or not sushi, more popular among today's high schoolers than past generations, would be a suitable addition to schools' lunch menus.

"This is what the kids want," said Sonya Jackson, a regional sales manager for Schwan's. "We've been doing market studies, and students eat sushi. Acceptance of the product is overwhelming. A lot of schools are doing sushi. We want to get it into more schools. It brings a more international flair."

Choosing Wiregrass was no mistake.

School Principal Ray Bonti characterized Wiregrass as "the most diverse high school in Pasco County, racially, culturally and religiously."

"The kids really seem to like it," Bonti said of the sushi. "We're very fortunate that our Food and Nutrition Department chooses Wiregrass to sample new cuisine."

While sushi may be something of a food fad, Maggie Giunta, a nutrition specialist with the school district, said it is also a low-fat, heart-healthy food that is easy to prepare. She said sushi lunches might cost students about $5 if the school district elects to add the item to school menus.

A common misconception about sushi is that it's raw fish, said Chad Stelter, a marketing director with Schwan's. But he said the company's sushi includes fully-cooked fish that is frozen, then thawed before served.

"There's very limited preparation," he said.

Wiregrass students seemed less concerned with calories and preparation than with taste. Not every student tried the sushi, but many who did seemed to enjoy it.

"It was really good. I was surprised," said Monica Narin, 16, a junior. "I thought it would be generic-tasting, but it wasn't."

Beatriz Jovel, 18, a senior, gave the sushi an enthusiastic endorsement. Then, Jovel "loves" sushi.

"It's my favorite," she said.

Not everyone agreed.

Alex Perez, a 17-year-old senior, declined to try it, opting instead for Hawaiian pizza, topped with pineapple and ham.

"I don't eat sushi," he said.