Growing children’s bodies and minds should be nourished in equal measure. Chris Peterson, the head cook at Diley Middle School in Pickerington, has acted on this belief for more than 20 years.
When Peterson’s kids were little, she volunteered in their school lunchroom and developed a passion for food service. It would set her on a journey, testing out various food service jobs over two decades, but Peterson realized her home is in the school lunchroom. After two years at Diley, Peterson has no inclination to leave.
“It clicked with me, and I think everybody has their thing,” Peterson says. “I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.”
Peterson’s responsibilities extend beyond Diley Middle School, however. Upon arriving at Diley around 6 a.m. on weekdays, she completes paperwork and communicates with a driver to provide lunch items for four neighboring schools.
By the time 8:25 a.m. rolls around, a grab-and-go breakfast is already prepared; afterward, lunch is readied for the first line of students at 10:40 a.m.
“We have seven lines, and they’re every 20 minutes without a break in between,” Peterson says.
Continuously cooking can become hectic at times, but Peterson places her full trust in her staff of four or five, depending on the day, to serve Dileys 565 students.
“It’s very rare that you go into a workplace where you just get along with everyone,” Peterson says. “I can say, look, we’re gonna do this, we’re gonna change this. There’s never a complaint.”
Though food shortages spurred on by COVID-19 are no longer a pressing issue for Peterson, adaptability remains an important facet of her job. Ensuring the availability of well-rounded, hot meals will always be Peterson’s driving goal.
“People don’t think about the fact that these kids need fed every single day,” Peterson says. “A lot of them, this might be their main meal, it might be their most nutritious meal, you don’t know.”
Since menus rotate every five weeks, plates are routinely colorful. In fact, Peterson enjoys snapping pictures whenever a spread looks particularly vivid.
“We take pride in the fact that our lines look great, that we have a variety of food,” Peterson says. “I want the kids to appreciate, and I want them to see that we’re trying really hard to make sure they have a variety.”
Lunch servers are often overlooked despite playing a crucial role in the school ecosystem. Even so, one “thank you” from a child means the world to Peterson.
“That just warms my heart because you don’t get that very often,” Peterson says.
Apple Pie Smoothie
Yield: 6 9-oz. smoothies
- 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp. honey (or brown sugar)
- 3 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup unsweetened apple juice 100%
Directions
Blend applesauce, spices and honey (or brown sugar).
Add yogurt and apple juice and blend thoroughly.
Pour 9 oz. of smoothie mixture into 10-oz. cups.
Cover and chill until ready for service.
Lucy Lawler is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
