E507 School Lunch Lady

Melissa's journey into the world of school cafeterias started incidentally after high school but evolved into a fulfilling career that has spanned over three decades. She reflects on the path that led her there and the growth she has experienced along the way.

Melissa fell into the lunch lady role after getting pregnant and needing a job post-high school

Upon graduating from high school in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, Melissa found herself in need of a job due to her pregnancy. With limited options available, she took a position in the school district where she initially did not see a long-term future.

Melissa Ansel confesses, "I didn't really want the man that much so then I moved on," indicating a personal turning point that played a role in her career direction. Despite her initial reluctance to become a lunch lady, it turned out to be a decision that set her on a positive career track.

Melissa has worked in the school cafeteria for over 31 years and has moved up to management roles

Over the course of 31 years, Melissa has experienced a significant upturn in her professional life, moving from an entry-level position to overseeing the operations of a school cafeteria. "I just went down to the Board of Education, looked around, got some jobs, and then I just slowly moved up," she explained.

Her diligence and longevity in the school system have not onl ...

Melissa Ansel and her team at the school cafeteria are responsible for feeding hundreds of students every day with an assortment of breakfast and lunch options, while accommodating various dietary needs and preferences.

Melissa and her team start preparing breakfast as early as 7:30 AM

Melissa arrives at work at around 7:30 AM to start the breakfast preparations. The team turns on warmers and the oven and gets everything set out for service. They serve both hot and cold breakfast items such as pancakes, sausage, muffins, cereal, and fruit, feeding about 460 breakfasts to the 600 students they serve daily. Theo recalls when early bus arrivals meant students could secure breakfast before the start of the school day. However, they've had to adjust operations for late arrivals, with Melissa mentioning that they keep the cafeteria open for late breakfast even if students arrive as late as one in the afternoon on late buses. If buses arrive just a few minutes late, students could potentially miss out on breakfast, but Melissa's dedication ensures that such students can still get their morning meal.

Lunch service is a well-choreographed process

Lunch preparation and service in the cafeteria is described as a well-choreographed process. Melissa and the cooks follow a set weekly menu, for which ingredients are ordered in advance. The cafeteria serves a variety of hot entrees like chicken, pasta, sandwiches, salads, and PB&J allowing students to pick between cold lunch options and whatever hot item is prepared that day. Theo Von recalls the enjoyment children have with favorites like chicken nuggets and pizza, even lamenting a shift to square-shaped pizza at one point.

Melissa enjoys serving pizza because it's easy, whereas serving multiple items like mashed potatoes, corn, chicken, and a roll, can be challenging, especially when preferences vary widely and everyone picks and chooses what they want. Now, students have the autonomy to select their preferred items rather than being handed a one-size-fits-all meal.

After serving the last child, Melissa and her team start cleaning and counting everything, from milk to other food items. They document the number of kids fed and input the data into the computer. The kitchen quickly transitions from lunch service to preparing for the next day's breakfast.

Cafeteria staff have to navigate various dietary needs and restrictions

The cafeteria staff, under Melissa's guidance, navigate a host of dietary needs and restrictions. They accommodate students of different religious, cultural, and personal food preferences, by offering options such as the weekly menu, which includes various items such as pasta and meatballs, ...

Theo Von and Melissa discuss the evolving social dynamics and culture in the school cafeteria, noting changes since Theo was a student.

Melissa tries to create a fun, high-energy atmosphere for the students

Melissa is dedicated to creating an exciting and engaging environment for the students in the cafeteria. She gets involved by dancing with students during school events like dances and pep rallies, encouraging kids to clap and have fun. Known for her rowdiness, Melissa participates in the high-energy atmosphere, making the environment less serious and more entertaining.

Additionally, Melissa revels in making the students laugh by wearing different wigs, makeup, and even blowing up costumes on special occasions like Halloween. She plays Spanish music in the kitchen and tries to keep the environment lively, especially when the "big boss" is around.

There is a close-knit camaraderie among the cafeteria staff

Melissa leads a team of predominantly Spanish-speaking women who have a strong bond with one another. Described as exceptional cleaners, especially with a broom, the team keeps each other's spirits high. Melissa discusses how she makes her colleagues laugh and insists that they all should have fun at work, contributing to the close-knit camaraderie of the group.

Cafeteria staff have a unique position in the school community

The cafeteria staff, especially Melissa, interact with various members of the school community. Melissa talks about seeing many of the children and their parents around the neighborhood, maintaining those connections beyond the school walls. She also has good relationships with most of the teachers, leveraging these associations when teachers need something, like milk for their students.

Melissa employs a sense of humor when dealing with teacher requests, reminding herself tha ...

Over her long and impactful career, Melissa has navigated various challenges, witnessed the evolution of school lunch programs, and fostered meaningful relationships with students.

Melissa has dealt with food-related health scares and false recoveries in the past

Around 18 years ago, Melissa encountered a harrowing event where several children vomited in the lunchroom, sparking other kids to do the same. It resulted in a major scare involving buses and ambulances, food inspections, and accusations pointing to the cafeteria's food as the culprit. Parents instructed their kids to avoid eating at the cafeteria, creating a witch hunt atmosphere, and the media frenzy only intensified when reporters sought to question Melissa, who deftly aimed to evade them.

Angry parents occasionally confronted Melissa about various food items served, such as soup or porridge. She endeavored to appease these concerns, as maintaining harmony in the community where she also resided was important to her. Unfortunately, following the cafeteria incident, Melissa's reputation suffered in the neighborhood, as accusations and memories of the event lingered. It took a couple of weeks after the incident for a small note to clarify the food was not at fault, eventually easing the skepticism.

Melissa has seen the school lunch program evolve significantly over the decades

Reflecting on the past, Melissa remembers the primitive days of school lunches, where microwave dinners, limited fries, and burgers cooked in plastic ruled the menu. She humorously recalls how the hot dogs served within beans would discolor, an image still remembered by parents and locals. However, times have changed, as burgers are now freshly made, and fries emerge crispy from the oven—signs of the program's focus on variety and quality.

The "loaded nacho day" stands out as proof of the increased menu variety, with everyone, students and staff alike, expressing eagerness for the day's lively food offerings. Moreover, Melissa has witnessed admirable improvements, such as adaptations to serve larger portions to older students. The introduction of a "new food guy" further heightens her anticipat ...