An important part of every student’s day is lunch. Love them or hate them, school lunches need to be balanced, nutritious and desirable to students.

“Lunch programs have forever had a stigma, and they still do,” said April Bain, fiscal accountability manager for the archdiocese’s Child Nutrition Program (CNP). “Our goal is to give them a variety.”

While pizza and tacos remain favorites, school menus now include potstickers, burrito bowls, chicken tenders and waffles, penne with alfredo sauce and popcorn chicken.

“We always do a hot and cold entrée,” Bain said. “They (students) don’t have to take just an entrée, they can take an apple or fresh produce, too.”

All schools participating in the Child Nutrition Program, a federal program which provides free or reduced-price meals, must offer lunches with whole grains, protein, milk, vegetables and fruit, Bain said.

Nine Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore participate in the program: Archbishop Borders School in Highlandtown, Cardinal Shehan School in Baltimore, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Fells Point, Mother Mary Lange Catholic School in West Baltimore, St. Agnes School in Catonsville, St. Michael-St. Clement School in Baltimore, Mother Seton School in Baltimore,  Sisters Academy of Baltimore, and St. Phillip Neri School in Glen Burnie. 

Eight of those nine qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which provides free breakfasts and lunches to every student in the school. Schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

“It’s not like public schools where they are all under the umbrella of a district,” Bain said. “Our schools don’t do that. In public schools, students apply for free or reduced meals.”

Bain handles CEP applications for the schools.

“An area is eligible to qualify. There is a certain radius around the school. There is no individual application,” Bain said. “It is good for five years. Then, I have to reapply.”

Four schools also serve supper and two serve snacks at no cost to the students. Suppers are like lunches while snacks are typically vegetables or fruit. Breakfasts are cold and are typically whole grains, fruits, veggies and milk or juice served in the classroom.

“Nothing is set in stone,” Bain said of the menus, as food providers are sometimes unable to fill an order due to shortages, weather or other circumstances. Menus, however, must always meet the standards set by the Child Nutrition Program regarding calories, salt, sugar and fats served.

“In a review, they take our menu, and each item is calculated for a week,” Bain said, with the amount of salt, sugars and calories all tallied.

While school lunches are required to be nutritious, to make them appealing is another key to getting students to eat them. Food presentation and a good staff are important.

“All that makes a big difference to a child when you want them to eat,” said Pashur Green, outreach coordinator for CNP. “It has to look appealing and be served by people smiling.”

Hamburgers served on crinkly paper and chicken sandwiches in foil mimic similar entrees at popular restaurant chains and are attractive to students.

“All you need to do to (is) draw them in,” Bain said, with a laugh. “What do kids want?”

To her surprise, an item many years removed from school menus is making a return this year.

“Sloppy Joes,” Bain said. “It blew me away. Kids are asking for it. Parents, too. Let’s try it and see.”

Email Katie V. Jones at [email protected]

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