ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 22, 1996 TAG: 9608230024
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-12 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: BACK TO SCHOOL
SOURCE: BETSY BIESENBACH STAFF WRITER
Say the words "school food" to Andy and Mary Kathryn Aldrich, and they'll screw their faces up in disgust.
What's the worst thing they've eaten?
"Egg rolls!" they shout in unison. Andy, 10, and Mary Kathryn, 8, are students at Grandin Court Elementary in Roanoke.
Pauline Holloway, food services superintendent for Roanoke County Schools, said egg rolls probably are the least popular item in her school system, too.
"This is not much of an ethnic community," she said. And while Mexican and Italian foods are accepted well, egg rolls may be a bit too exotic.
The students Kitty Keffer serves in Craig County particularly hate meatloaf.
"It's not a finger food," she said. "They like paper-plate things, things they can just tuck and go."
The Aldrich children don't like corn dogs, tuna salad, hamburgers or salmon patties.
"They look really weird, like rubber," Mary Kathryn said.
Sometimes, the food is good, they agreed. They like the tacos, chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese.
Pizza is the best item, Mary Kathryn said, but not at breakfast, when it's sometimes served cold, left from the day before.
Occasionally, he said, he tries things he's never had at home, but has been mostly disappointed. The broccoli, for instance, was overcooked.
"It's not like it is at home," admitted Tom Powers, director of food services for Roanoke's schools. It's difficult to please everyone when cooking large quantities of food.
Apparently appearance is important, too. Andy and his friends "throw away anything that looks weird," he said.
Gretchen Boeren, a teacher at Northside High School, survived cafeteria duty last year and came away appalled by the students' eating habits. Many of them will spend $5 to buy chips and ice cream in the a-la-carte line, when they can buy a balanced meal for $1.25, she said.
They also "drink an incredible amount of soda," she said. Although the soda machines are off-limits during lunch, part of her job was to keep kids from smuggling the drinks in from elsewhere.
Despite the criticism of the food, students and teachers were unanimous in their appreciation for the cafeteria staff.
Food service workers "are the unsung heroes of the school system," Boeren agreed.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 linesby CNB