District News

Cafeteria Advisory Committee Looks to Enhance the Lunch Experience

 

October, 2010

 

Every day, students in our schools enjoy a nutritious lunch provided by a dedicated staff. The newly-formed Cafeteria Advisory Committee looks to expand on an already good thing.

Consisting of staff members, parents, students and local farmers, the committee wants to avoid repetition and introduce students to new and healthy food choices with a focus on presentation.

“We want to provide healthy choices that students might not have experienced before,” Superintendent Richard Rose said. “Childhood obesity is a very important issue we’re faced with. The health of our students is very important to us.”

Obesity is the second-leading cause of health problems in the U.S. According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 19.6 percent in 2008. In Montgomery County, 61.2 percent of adults are considered obese according to the New York State Department of Health.

The Cafeteria Advisory Committee is a local step to buck that trend.

During the Oct. 27 meeting, Josie Ennist, the food service manager at Schoharie Central School, plans to talk the committee about Schoharie’s award-winning program. Mr. Rose says he’s also been calling other districts about their food programs.

Students have already seen changes in the menu. Recent offerings from the cafeteria include tuna melts, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken wing pizza, and Hungarian goulash.

“We want our cafeteria to provide nutritious and low fat food four students in a pleasing way,” explained Mr. Rose. “The presentation is important too. We used to have a big bowl of salad. Now it’s presented like you’d see in a restaurant.”