by Kyle Arechiga, Nancy Azzam, & Ashley Gilbert

The cafeteria workers at Granada Hills Charter (GHC) constantly go unnoticed for the tedious work they accomplish to provide for students and faculty. From having to think on their feet when stock is low, to coming up with lunches that students can enjoy, they undoubtedly deliver reliable and healthy meals to the school.

According to Kaiser Permanente, “Schools are in a unique position to promote healthy eating for both students and school employees and to provide support systems for families who may be struggling with hunger, basic nutrition, or access to food. Good nutrition at school and throughout the school day is critical to a student’s health and ability to learn. School breakfast and lunch programs may account for more than half of a child’s daily calorie intake. So it’s vital that nutrition policies and provisions support students in developing and sustaining healthy eating habits.”

Our staff must work tirelessly to provide our almost 5,000 students on the high school campus with these healthy provisions before school, during nutrition and lunch, and even after school for some groups.

Despite the long lines, sometimes unruly students, various dietary restrictions, and much more, our lunch staff still manages to undoubtedly persevere. These employees are the key to the healthy and tasty meals that so many GHC students and staff rely on to fuel their day.

“The hardest part of my job is when suppliers don’t get the stock in on time and we have to improvise,” cafeteria worker Brian Herrera said. “Luckily, I’m able to think on my feet easily and I like pressure every once in a while.”

Although many students only think about the selection when walking through the cafeteria or how long the lunch cart line is, there are many decisions made behind the scenes to meet the demands of such a packed school environment.

For example, the cafeteria staff must consider nutritional value, allergies, spice levels, and more, which can be challenging with so many different individuals for whom they have to cater.

I enjoy working in a school environment because I love cooking, but without the ‘chaos’ and business of a restaurant. I also enjoy seeing the students happy when they enjoy what we serve.

Cafeteria Manager Vanda McLaughlin

The cafeteria workers are such an important part of our day as students, but we rarely see or think about what’s being done behind the scenes.

“I eat school lunch every day and I usually complain about how long the line is, but then I think about all the hard work that must be going on behind the scenes, which makes me appreciate and not care as much about waiting in line,” junior Nicolas Bermudez said.

So next time you’re standing in line waiting for your salad or pizza, take some time to thank the employees who work so hard to fill the stomachs and fuel the brains of our GHC community.