Kids aren’t just rushing to lunch for seats anymore. With a new panini press, build- your-own bowls and lunchables, among many other options, lines form from as early as 10:50 am. The question is: why? Who’s to credit for the tasty upgrades? And do nutritional benefits come along with these lunch alterations?
Along with the nine cafeteria staff who work tirelessly to feed hundreds of students and staff each day, new Assistant Food Service Director, Ashleigh Meek, has brought new ideas to the team. The Food Service staff’s vision is to keep meals consistent, add more variety to lunch options, and provide healthy alternatives to less healthy favorites. In order to do this, she has implemented a variety of customizable options at lunch.
“I wanted to give the kids more of a say in what they were adding to their meals and make them more individualized so that students can select what they prefer,” Ms. Meek said.
The wildly popular build-your-own bowls are offered on Wednesdays, and strive to be “reimbursable.” Serving reimbursable meals, which meet the USDA’s nutritional and portion size requirements, allow ELHS to receive USDA benefits. A meal that is reimbursable meets all of the USDA’s daily required meal pattern components offered in a single, cost-effective meal unit.
Reimbursable meals, have three out of the five required health components. The lunches must contain a whole grain, a protein, dairy, fruit, and vegetable. Food Service Director Christian Urban and Ms. Meek team up with the many other cooks in the kitchen to prepare the various options and toppings ahead of time, as the bowls require a lot of additional preparation.
“My usual lunch is packed from home, but on certain days I’ve switched to school lunch because the panini press and bowls are that good,” sophomore Payton Kelly said.
Build-your-own bowls, like the Mediterranean bowls add nutritious ingredients to your lunch while also making the meal delicious and unique. The Mediterranean bowl gives students the option to add grilled chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, olives, peppers, and tzatziki sauce to a bed of rice and greens.
“It’s our goal to provide children with healthier options if they want, but the meals we’ve been offering aside from the paninis and bowls are still nutritious,” Ms. Meek said.
After programs that provided free lunches to all students during the pandemic ended, demands of the kitchen staff shifted, allowing for more appliances and products. Because meals aren’t free to all students, the number of meals to be prepared has dropped, so cooks have more time and resources to add more variety to the menu and give students more say in their meals.
The money that students pay for lunches also goes to cooking appliances that will help speed up the lunch-making process.
Since the panini station is such a hit, ELHS purchased a second panini maker. This helps dissolve the line outside of the panini press and makes getting a hot sandwich faster and easier, while also making it less stressful for the cooks holding down the press.
“I get a sandwich every day and the line used to be so long, and it would take up most of my lunch. But now with the new panini press people can go to both lines and I can get my sandwich so much faster,” junior Abby Parulis said.
ELHS recently bought several new blenders in addition to a new panini press. A smoothie section will be prepared for breakfast using these blenders. This will give the school menu one more nutrient-dense choice. Smoothies contain a variety of different fruits, vegetables, and other healthy ingredients. They are a convenient way to
include a variety of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants into student’s diets. Food Service Head Cook, Karla Sullivan, plans to add the smoothies to the lunch menu as well if they become a hit during breakfast. Over her 25 years at ELHS, Sullivan has made fresh lunches a top priority. She comes in to start preparing at 6 a.m. in order to keep lunches fresh and delicious.
“I really love the salad bar. I am able to customize my own meal at school with fresh ingredients. When I heard about the new smoothie option for breakfast I was really excited and can’t wait to try it. That makes me want to actually eat breakfast in the morning,” junior Zoe Mcgregor said.
The high school meal cost remains $3.75. Each student enrolled in East Lyme Public Schools is eligible for a complimentary school breakfast meal once a day. In addition, lunch will be provided for free to students who qualify for reduced-price school meals.
Whether you are a picky or adventurous eater, ELHS offers many healthy and delicious options for breakfast and lunch, and there is something for everyone.
