MOSES LAKE — Frontier Middle School students had a decision to make – the Tropical Berry smoothie, or the Dreamsicle? The Mystery smoothie, the Berry Blast, or the Strawberry Banana?

The Go Green smoothie? The fruit completely masked the taste of the spinach.

Alas, Go Green didn’t crack the top three, at least not at Frontier. It’s a pretty big hit at Moses Lake elementary schools, however.

The smoothie taste test is part of a district-wide initiative to promote physical fitness and healthy eating habits. The program is courtesy of the district’s PE and food service programs, the Play 60 program and its partner, the Washington Dairy Council.

Smoothies will become part of the district’s breakfast menu, said April Strebeck, assistant manager for the school’s food service program. The recipes had to meet USDA requirements and – since it’s in partnership with the Dairy Council – feature yogurt as a base, with fruits and vegetables added. Students at the 10 elementary schools and three middle schools are in the process of picking their favorites.

Eighth-grade PE students ran the taste test at Frontier last Friday, lining up all six choices on the stage in the lunchroom during the school’s three lunch periods. Food service personnel chose the six options and made the smoothies. The eighth-graders broke up into teams and made a poster to identify and promote each flavor.

Each Frontier taste-tester got a ballot, and when the votes were counted up the top three were the Berry Blast, the Tropical Berry and Strawberry Banana.

“It was busy,” said Alexandria Bakker. “We actually didn’t get to try them until between the lunches,” said Jessica Williams.

The Go Green looked really spinach-y. “I didn’t think it would taste so good,” said Katelyn Velasco. That green color presented a marketing problem. Kids would look at it “and just, like, throw it away,” said Alexys Sanchez.

Cruz Velasquez said the Berry Blast was his favorite, a blend of various fruits that resulted in reddish-purple drink. “That was pretty,” Jessica said.

“Did you know there was spinach in the Berry Blast?” Strebeck asked.

“No,” Cruz said, not until after he tried it.

The orange-and-vanilla Dreamsicle didn’t fare so well, despite some promotion during the taste test. “This one is really good,” said one of the kids doing the serving Friday. Alas, the kids said it was too sour and too watery, Jessica said. The Mystery smoothie (apples, bananas and carrots) generated a strong reaction. People either liked it or they hated it, Cruz said.

The winners will be incorporated into the school breakfast menus, and “we are working up to the big event, which is I-Breakfast,” Strebeck said. That’s scheduled for March, when some of the changes to the breakfast menus will be announced.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].