It takes a special kind of person to feed about 200 kids every day. But Janet Fogel, the new food services director, has hit the floor running at the Mancos school cafeteria. Shes making some positive changes to the lunches that the school kids are getting, the most important one being that most everything is made from scratch.
Were making almost everything now, said Fogel. There is less processed food that is just heated, and more fresh and whole foods. Lunches such as lasagna, quesadillas, sloppy Joes and grilled cheese with tomato soup are all made from scratch.
Local farms around Mancos are where much of the food comes from now, including Sunnyside Meats, McElmo Farms, Confluence Farm, and Four Seasons Farm. The school gets vegetables, meat and fruit from these places. Tasty Tuesdays assures all the kids that for at least that one day there will be fresh, local food served in their lunches.
Every day youll find a salad bar in the cafeteria for the 4th through 12th grades, which gives them another alternative.
Fogel has the head cook, Barbara Zeutzius, plus three other helpers working to get food ready for the school children. Jessica Stockton works primarily to get the Bluejay Nest ready, which has a la carte sandwiches and drinks for sale for the students. We only have healthy things there, too, said Fogel. No carbonated drinks, no candy, no ice cream. And were doing better on the snacks, too.
Amy Stewart and Mary Sena also work hard every day to prepare the food for the breakfasts and lunches. They then clean up the kitchen and get it ready for the next days meals.
Were working with one of the kitchen staff to get home-made baked goods for desserts, Fogel said.
Fogel is a certified nutritionist and has a BS in Health Sciences and Nutrition, so she believes food is something to be enjoyed. Since the kids have so little time to eat, I want to make it as enjoyable as I can, she said. She has done after school nutrition in the Bayfield school before coming to Mancos. But this is the first time she has managed food service on a larger scale.
She likes to talk to the kids while theyre eating to get feedback from them. Most of them like the food!
The thing shes had the hardest time with is limiting the amount of chocolate milk that the kids consume. We only have that once a week, on Fridays. That way, I think, it gives them something to look forward to!, said Fogel.
She loves being in Mancos and enjoys all the support she gets from everyone. The teachers, the other staff, even the parents, have all been so good about letting me know whats working.
Most of her recipes come from her own experience, but the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) also has recipes. She is required to break them down into ingredients and how much of each thing and give a report each month to the Department of Education.
But I love it: its so much fun! I love to feed kids!, said Fogel.