What goes into a school lunch?

Posted by james mayoral on Aug 26, 2011 in Telegram Past News

I made my way over to the cafeteria  to learn more about the food that is served to the DHS students. Debbie Thiessen, one of the many employees who cook food in the cafeteria kitchen, walked me through the story of our lunches.

First, our food is purchased from a company called Goldstar Foods. Once the food is purchased from this company, it is distributed to its buyers by the company Sodexo. Most of the food is delivered by delivery truck, and the fresh fruits and vegetables that our school purchases are delivered a couple times a week.

Pizza ovens and steamers are used in food preperation, but there are no microwaves used in the kitchen. When it comes to storing food, everything is kept in freezers, except for the fruits and vegetables. Ms. Thiessen explained that there usually isn’t a large quantity of leftovers.  However, the leftovers that they have are thrown out. Everyone in the kitchen is certified serve safe, meaning that they are skilled in proper food handling.

We also spoke about the Free and Reduced program that our high school participates in. The goal of this program is to provide a healthy balanced lunch to all students, according to the government. If you are a student and have been wondering why you have been required to take a piece of fruit or some vegetables, it is because the employees in the lunch room are required to have you take at least four items with your meal. These items include one main item, a side item, a fruit or vegetable, and a milk. Ms Thiessen and her fellow employees in the cafeteria kitchen and the lunch room do an awesome job and work hard everyday.