On Sunday, April 7, 2024, 34 students and 6 teachers departed for Costa Rica. While there, they stayed at three hotels, where they were served breakfast and dinner every day. They enjoyed lunch at several restaurants and attractions. Most meals were served buffet style and were very healthy and balanced, resembling My Plate recommendations, which consist of a fruit, vegetable, grain, and protein.
The first resort they stayed at, Buena Vista del Rincón, offered the most variety with their food choices. Guests were given many salad options, ranging from simple greens and tomato salad to beets and bell peppers. Since Costa Rica is a tropical region, there was an abundance of fresh tropical fruits, such as watermelon, pineapple, papaya, and plantains, offered with every meal. Rice and beans were also served at every meal as the main grain, with the occasional pasta at dinner, and there were usually two choices of protein, most of which were various chicken, beef, or pork dishes. For breakfast, guests were offered sausages and eggs, scrambled or in an omelet, for their protein. On most days we enjoyed lunch away from the hotel at local restaurants and at some places they stopped, they were served fried fish as well.
During the second day of the trip, students took a cooking class to learn how to make traditional Costa Rican rosquillas, donut-like cookies made of corn flour, and empanadas with a cheesy cinnamon sugar filling. In the class, they also had the opportunity to try some cheese made at the resort using the milk from their cows.
Despite all the healthy cuisine they enjoyed, they also had the choice to enjoy several desserts, similar to those in America as well as more traditional Costa Rican treats. Typically, dessert was served after dinner, and guests were offered coconut flan, tres leches cake, and arroz con leche. They also had the chance to try cajeta de celaya, a thick caramel made of goat’s milk, layered with pastry dough. At one place they stopped for lunch, they also enjoyed mini cinnamon rolls.
Guests were offered a variety of drinks, such as juice, tea, and coffee. The Costa Ricans used many fresh fruits in their juices, such as starfruit, papaya, watermelon, and soursop, a creamy fruit with a flavor profile similar to a sour apple. They also served peach and lemon tea. On the second to last day of the trip, students and staff took a trip to a plantation for the Britt Coffee Tour to learn about the coffee harvesting process as well as a taste testing of their finest Costa Rican coffees and chocolates.
