Everyone complains about school lunches, whether it is because
we are concerned about what we digest, why the meal sizes are that
way it is, and where they get the ingredients. We were determined to
find the underlying cause of this, so, we interviewed the new Manager
of Culinary Services, Condy Choi and this is what she had to say.
“Central kitchen sends us the lunch menu.”
Sometimes they do not send everything that is on the menu, so I must
improvise, and make sure that everyone has something to eat. “I always
make sure that I have a vegetarian option, a meat option …” So, our
school does not have any control over the school lunch menu, and the
menu is sent by central kitchen. The school menus are set BEFORE
school starts, giving the lunch ladies time to prep. She also mentions
how she must make sure that there is a variety of options for people to
choose from.
As we mentioned earlier, the school does not have ANY control over the
menu, and the menu is set by Central Kitchen. She says that the menu is
out of her control, and the only thing that she has control over is
serving us.
“Just like I was telling you, I do make sure that there is a vegetarian,
with a meat option. If there is somebody allergic to peanuts, or has a
milk allergy, the nurse’s office sends me their form, and I go off the
form. So, ill individually walk to the student and let them know that
their lunch is something totally different.” Whenever students have an
allergy, they must submit a form to the nurse’s office, so then the lunch
ladies can go off the form to make sure they make other meals that
they can eat. Afterwards, they will individually walk to them and tell
them that they have a different lunch from the rest of the people.
The lunch lady states that there are four steps for the food process such
as getting the ingredients, preparing it, heating it up and serving it.
When preparing lunch, she also mentions how leftover food is thrown
away afterwards.
“Making sure that each student has a lunch number, and punches it in.
Other than that, it is quite easy.” From her perspective, she mentions
how her job is easy and that she must make sure that every student
puts in their lunch number.
Sometimes there are not enough ingredients, so, she must improvise to
ensure that there will be enough meals for everyone.
Central kitchen makes it easier for the lunch ladies to receive the
ingredients needed for each student by just asking for the number of
students.
This is how the menu is decided by Central kitchen, the menus are
set before school starts and the lunch lady does not get to decide what
gets served for us during lunch. I also learned that students who have
allergies or certain dietary restrictions must submit a form to the
nurse’s office, so then the lunch lady can get off the form while
preparing a different meal for them. When you read this article, you will
learn where the ingredients came from, and what happens when there
is not enough food for the students. This article answers some frequent
questions that we may have and gives us more information on things
that may not have occurred to us about school lunches.