-Kikilia Kojin
“Eww. I don‘t like it. I don’t think any of it it‘s healthy. It‘s greasy, saturated in fats,” expressed Debra Altman, a sophomore. It is commonly believed that the school cafeteria food is unhealthy and distasteful.
“It’s not that bad. Some are healthy options,” admits Heidi Ebeling, a senior.
What they might not realize is the amount of effort put into making it healthy by Cindy Smith, the cafeteria manager. Twenty years before, canned meat and other unhealthy options were served, but now there is a variety of better, healthier choices. “I go to great lengths. I put a lot of effort into making it better,” shares Smith.
Cindy Smith has been a dedicated worker for twenty years in the cafeteria and she serves about 140 kids at Homer High School every day.
The cafeteria offers healthy options like salads, parfaits, whole wheat hamburger buns, low-fat chicken, fresh fruits and vegetables, and orange juice. The food is USDA approved commodities. Smith also visits a food show once a year, where venders and Foster Farm members come. There they figure out a nutrition analysis system to produce a meal that’s acceptable, since too much fat, sugar, and salt isn’t allowed.
“The food is healthy. There’s no deep fryer. No trans fat. The fries are oven baked. It’s a good meal for our budget,” explains Smith.
Students and teachers have mixed feelings about the cafeteria food, but it’s a healthy, tasty, and affordable choice for kids who are hungry.