“It smells like success in here.”
That’s what Sergeant Sullivan said as he walked into Mrs. Fritz’s classroom, where ovens were full and students were putting the final touches on their dishes during this year’s MRE Pizza Challenge.
Now in its fourth year at Umatilla High School, the challenge has become a hands-on favorite for students in Mrs. Fritz’s Food and Travel class. Organized by Sergeant First Class Joe Sullivan, who brings the competition to multiple schools in the area, the three-day event pushes students to think creatively as they transform Meals Ready-to-Eat (MRE) into fully realized pizzas.
The challenge begins on day one with students selecting their MRE kits and preparing their pizza dough from scratch. A few of the kits students selected included meals like Chili Mac & Cheese, Mexican Style Rice and Bean Bowls, and Chicken Burrito Bowls.
On day two, students rolled out their dough and began assembling their pizzas, carefully choosing which MRE ingredients to incorporate. They also had the option to use store-bought sauce and cheese as a base.
For each MRE ingredient included in the final product, teams earned additional points. This encouraged students to think carefully about how to use as many ingredients as possible, while also paying close attention to texture, taste, and presentation.
One team crushed pretzels from their kit and spread them across the crust for added flavor and crunch. Another stuffed their pizza crust with cheese sauce from their MRE. One group blended their ingredients into their pizza sauce. Some even created desserts to maximize their points, including a team that melted peanut M&M’s and poured the chocolate over a nutrient bar.
On day three, the classroom was filled with the smell of baking pizzas. As their pizzas baked, students prepared to present their work to the judges. Each group named their pizza and made a sign to go along with it. During judging, the students explained which MRE ingredients they used and how they incorporated them.
Judges evaluated each pizza based on appearance, taste, creativity, and overall execution.
“This project was a lot of fun,” said ninth-grade student Elva Valle. “Most of everything from the kit was actually pretty good and this was my first time making a pizza.”
Pizza Judge Sergeant Juarez also emphasized the bigger picture behind the activity.
“I want them to take away teamwork and creativity from this experience,” she said. I love working with the kids and seeing their skills–and testing how they work together in a time crunch.”
At the end of the challenge, one winning team was selected from each class period:
First Period: Team One – “Dirty Pizza.”
Students: Jose Campos-Mendoza, Natelie Echeverria-Coria, Peytan Fullerton, Jayden Perches, Jocelyn Morales Garcia
Third Period: Team Three – “Olive Garden.”
Students: Elva Valle, Raquel Villegas, Josue Mejia Sanchez, Abraham Cisneros Gonzalez, Lavonte Winzer
Fourth Period: Team Two – “Chicken MRE Special”
Students: Alexa Vargas-Ortega, Kaden Gilbert-Zook, Aylin Garcilazo Rodriguez, Jaycee Dunham Carlson, Melissa Gonzalez Reyes