Lunchroom ladies. Cafeteria Workers. Food Technicians. The “lunch bunch”. Regardless of the title, the presence and service of the employees in school cafeterias across America are essential to a productive school day and learning environment. Every student, past and present, has an instant connection to the lunchroom ladies who ‘dished up’ lunch and can recall his or her favorite meal. Without these dedicated and faithful women, the school day would be much less appetizing and sustainable.

From cowboy stew and tacos to breakfast pizza and those mouthwatering handmade rolls, the lunchroom crew finds themselves hitting the workforce before most other school employees arrive. Their days begin with breakfast and lunch preparation simultaneously, and do not end until the meals are prepared and served to the vast school population and the cafeteria is cleaned, stocked and prepared for the next day’s meals. They seldom enjoy their own lunches until all of the students and staff are serviced.

The typical ratio of school populations to cafeteria employees is 50 to 1, and these multi-taskers prepare nutritionally balanced meals daily. This job is not for the faint hearted! Their routine consists of prepping, cooking and serving meals then washing all dishes, pots and pans, and sanitizing the lunchroom and cooking areas. It takes both stamina and skill to lift the heavy food boxes and cookware and to get the meals ready on time for the serving lines. They stock and restock the needed items during the week. These ladies spend most of the day on their feet.

In LaSalle Parish, both breakfasts and lunches are cooked and served for students and staff. While the LPSB Food and Nutrition Supervisor Mrs. Carolas Purvis, plans the menus, the lunchroom staffs are responsible for the rest! The menus and recipes must be followed explicitly and must meet the nutritional needs of their young patrons. Portion guidelines are regimented, and school cafeterias are the most supervised and delegated food service operations in existence. Falling under Federal Guidelines, there is no wiggle room for error or inefficiency. School cafeterias are the most monitored of food services.

Despite the hair nets, the plastic gloves, the aprons and sturdy shoes, cafeteria ladies are always at their posts serving their students with both hands, all heart and a smile. Time requirements do not allow them to engage in full conversations with their young customers, but they’re never too busy to serve up kindness. They work tirelessly to make certain students are nourished and ready to learn, knowing they play an important role in children’s eating habits.

Nine million children depend on school cafeterias for daily nutrition. Many of them come from food-insecure homes. It’s a fact not a myth that for some school children, school meals are the only meals they get for the day. Thanks to the almost 30,000 school cafeteria workers, they will face the school day well fed.

LaSalle lunchroom ladies are among those helping students happily live school life and learn on a full stomach! Often underappreciated and unrecognized, they are vital to our children’s daily learning and well-being. Afterall, you can’t teach hungry kids!

Supervisor Purvis had this to say, “I can’t say enough about how great it is to work with such a terrific team of people, who can always be counted on to do a top-notch job! They work most days short-handed but when the first kids appear in their food lines, they’re ready. Individually, each one is amazing, but as a team they’re truly ROCKSTARS! May 3rd is National School Lunch Hero Day. Please take the time to thank all of those comprising the Food Services Department. They show up and do their jobs in a place that many would turn away from.”

The effort these local ‘rockstars’ put into keeping our school children fed is priceless. Thank you, LaSalle Parish lunch bunch, from the hearts and stomachs of those you prepare and cook for during each school day. Giving your best to our kids makes you and your service priceless and most appreciated. You rock!