84—Lancaster Farm Inc, Saturday, September 15,1984
Cafeteria workers
(Continued from Page B 2)
cafeteria because, “Johnny gets
what Johnny likes and then he
never learns to eat anything else.”
She is quick to add, “Students
are learning other things as well as
good nutrition when they buy
lunch. They learn good table
manners and the responsibility of
carrying money. There is a lot to
be learned in the lunchroom.”
Futhermore, she adds, “If you
constantly offer balanced lunches
for 12 years, they have to leam
something about nutrition.”
According to information from
the Dairy Council, a lunch packed
at home containing the same
nutrition as a school lunch is more
expensive than school cafeteria
prices. Also, school personnel are
trained in providing high-density
Hot dogs are a popular menu item and usually bring out a
high number of buyers for that day. Here, Stella puts the
steaming hot dogs in a warmer to await the first onslaught of
students.
END Of SEASON SALE ON RENTALS
17 FT. CANOES...*2OO°°
• Built For Sporting Action rn*mmmmAJ
• Cartopable • Economical
• Power Efficient • Built To Last
Special FREE SHOES COUPON Available
On All Canoes, Scanoes & Crawdads
(US$3 COLEMAN CENTER
89 Old Leacock Rd., RDI, Ronks, PA
STORE HOURS; Mon. thru Sat. - 8 to 5; lues. & Fri. till 8:30
nutrition.
June says that many lunches
packed at home do not contain
nutritious food, but food that is
expensive and easy to pack.
Peer pressure, that oft-criticized
foe of young people, can
sometimes be helpful. Mrs. Wit
man recalls that when they in
troduced tacos several years ago
she visited one section of each
grade, showing the ingredients in
tacos and allowing the children to
taste them. “We asked them to
watch for tacos on the menu and
tell their friends about them. You
have to promote things,” she says.
She said she has tried getting
student groups to taste new items
before placing them on the menu,
asking the students if they will eat
it and if other students will buy the
item
Mrs. Witman has expanded her
duties beyond the cafeterias, and
often goes into the classroom and
to home economics classes to
promote nutrition education. She
also likes to be in a cafeteria every
day at lunch to observe and in
teract.
She noted that after elementary
school there is a big change in
students’ eating habits, and they
begin to try a wider variety of
foods. Mrs. Witman would also like
to see schools having recess before
lunch so that children would not
race through their lunch to go play.
One of the challenges of
preparing menus is using the
commodities offered by the
government. In the last few years
there has been a “deluge of
cheese” according to Mrs. Wit
man. “There is also a lot of
powdered milk and powdered
eggs.”
“I don’t always take everything
they offer,” she says. “If it is just
going into storage, then I think
maybe somebody else can use it. I
go by what I have on hand and
what I can use. Sometimes I wish
they would just give us the cash so
we could buy what we want, but I
understand the program.”
She must also consider the
number of people working the
cafeterias when choosing menus.
“When the government reim
bursement figures went down so
did our hours,” she points out. That
means fewer people and simpler
preparation.
An innovation of hers was to use
printed menus which offer
nutrition education on the reverse
side. Carnation provides the
nutrition information, and she fills
out the menus, using art from
Hempfield students to brighten up
the page.
Another change has been of
fering kindergarten classes snacks
from the cafeteria instead of the
Fast track
to egg cost reduction
[Northeast NORTHEAST AGRI SYSTEMS, INC
D««L!n« KimaL Using graham crackers instead
I 9CKIM 111 nCll of bread takes away the monotany
j r, °f peanut butter sandwiches, and
(Continued from Page B 2) adding something like raisins,
chocolate so they can make carrots, coconut, or crashed
chocolate milk. And she points out, pineapple will be a nice surprise.
“Yogurt is a nice change from Lettuce can be packed
sandwiches.” separately to add crunch to
Homemade bologna cut in sandwiches, and using pita bread
chunks and cheese cut in chunks adds interest,
are a welcome change of pace. “I .£ rult j u *^ e can f ro ? en m
don’t always put a sandwich in eifh er small cans or plastic con
because it gets boring.” A favorite tamers, then wrapped in plastic to
for her children is pie, and she will contain the moisture as it defrosts,
sometimes treat them by including The cold of the juice will keep other
a “sip-up” beverage foods cool until lunch, and the juice
There is a real secret to a good can eaten or drunk as slush,
school lunch. Linda says, “Lun- With a little imagination, your
ches always taste better with a Jaach boxes can be filled with
little love note from home. It’s interesting, nutritious food which
always a surprise.” Occasionally delight students and energize
her children will write notes for them for the afternoon
each other. Lilli Ann agrees, I like
to write a note or cut out a cartoon
to send in their lunch ”
Some other ideas that might
work in your school lunches in
clude wrapping cheese or meat
around a commercial breadstick,
using a wooden pick to hold the
meat in place. This makes
“crunch-wich,” a pleasant change.
For a “walking salad” try
slicing off the top of an apple,
hollow out the core, leaving the
bottom intact. Brush the hollow
with orange or lemon juice, then
fill with peanut butter mixed with
raisins, cream cheese, chocolate
chips or caramels. Replace the top
d! the apple and wrap in plastic
wrap for a nutritious treat. Dried
fruit adds easy-to-pack interest.
traditional milk and cookies. The
snacks are nutritious and are often
tied in with the school menu,
helping the children become
familiar with foods offered through
the school.
The school cafeteria offers good
nutrition, and enough fuel to get
students through the long af
ternoon.
PO Box 187
Fitchviile, CT 06334
Phone- (203)642-7529
W
Naomi prepares a sand
wich for her lunch.
Local Representative
DAVID NEWMAN
(717) 299-9905