On a given day, Dawn Murphy, the manager of Edgecomb Eddy’s food service, is tasked with preparing a nutritious meal to some 65 percent of the student body. Murphy, however, doesn’t blink.
“It’s easier than people think to cook well for so many people,” Murphy said.
Her menu isn’t what people might expect. Gone are hamburgers, fries, and sugary sodas. Teriyaki chicken with rice and vegetables and a vegetarian egg roll is the new common standard. Whole grain has replaced white bread, brown rice is in, and iceberg lettuce is out. Dessert is rarely served.
“I’m a proud lunch lady,” Murphy says. “I get to serve kids a healthy lunch.”
This fundamental change began in September 2010 when Edgecomb Eddy chose to take part in the Let’s Go! School Nutrition Initiative, a Walmart and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care sponsored program dedicated to promoting healthy eating in America’s youth.
Let’s Go! brings together nutrition directors from various school districts in the state to form a workgroup collaborative. The workgroup allows nutrition directors to discuss and collaborate on methods for improving school lunch. AOS 98, of which Edgecomb Eddy is a part, is one of 11 Maine school districts participating in a single Lets Go! group.
One of the priorities of the group is for each member to participate in the HealthierUS School Challenge, a national certification program put forward by the US Dept. of Agriculture. The Challenge consists of a voluntary set of standards that seeks to promote healthier eating, nutritional and physical education.
Darlene French, AOS 98’s Food Service and School Nutrition Director, spearheaded the difficult task of bringing Edgecomb Eddy up to standards in only four months.
“It was a challenge, but I just had to do it,” French said.
The Challenge requires any given school to specifically document its menu, food, nutrition and physical education programs. All must be reviewed and approved by the USDA.
French completely changed the cafeteria menu, introducing more whole grains, legumes, and vegetables. Nutrition lessons were introduced to help kids, and parents, make healthy choices.
Teaching proper portion size was of particular importance.
“They’re used to the Big Mac portions of the world,” French said.
According to Murphy, while many kids were reluctant at first to dive into the vegetable portion of their lunch, they eventually grew to enjoy it. “It takes two or three tries before they like it,” Murphy said.
Getting them to drink their milk, however, remains an issue.
According to Edgecomb Eddy School Principal Lisa Clarke, the school simultaneously encouraged kids to participate in physical activity. This year, second and third graders will have the opportunity to take swimming lessons at the YMCA. Kids were even given the chance to try out yoga as part of a Teaching for Diversity Grant.
French’s efforts as nutrition director earned her an invitation to visit the White House in Oct. 2010. HealthierUS Challenge school representatives were given the opportunity to meet with Michelle Obama, who has made improving school nutrition a cornerstone of her tenure as First Lady.
Both French and Murphy strongly praised Obama and credited her with raising awareness of school nutrition at a national level.
“It’s changing with Michelle Obama,” Murphy said. “People are now focusing on school lunch.”
Murphy, Clarke, and French stressed the importance of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, especially with the poor economy weighing on many families’ budgets. Some kids, they say, have insufficient food at home.
Clarke remarked that the cafeteria’s busiest days are Monday and Friday, the day before kids go home for the weekend and the day they return.
She said the school tries to help kids who may need assistance outside of school.
“School lunch isn’t just September through June anymore,” Clarke said.
According, to French, around 50 percent of Edgecomb students qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Edgecomb Eddy’s efforts to meet the HealthierUS Challenge’s standards were rewarded with a bronze award from the USDA. The USDA gives bronze, silver, gold, and gold with distinction honors based primarily on school lunch participation and production rates.
Edgecomb received the honor from USDA Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon at an awards ceremony in Portland Dec. 8.
Edgecomb Eddy and its neighbor Boothbay Region Elementary were two of 35 Maine schools to be recognized. Maine currently ranks number one in New England for the number of schools meeting HealthierUS standards.
French expressed her excitement at receiving the honor.
“It’s a very prestigious award to have,” she said.
Edgecomb will retain the bronze distinction until 2015 when it will have to resubmit an application for review once again.
French said the school will continue to improve and try for the silver rating in a couple years.
“We’ve got to continue to do it,” she said. “It’s second nature to us now.”
