Albuquerque Public Schools is joining in acknowledging and celebrating the workers who make sure students have healthy, tasty lunches every day as part of National School Lunch Week.
The celebration kicked off Tuesday with the theme of “Peace, Love & School Lunch,” which highlights the importance healthy school lunches to students’ success inside and outside of the classroom. Cafeterias will be decorated 1970s-style, and workers will also dress up.
According to a release, APS serves around 29,000 breakfasts and 40,000 lunches daily to students and staff.
That amounts to more than a million meals a month and more than 10 million meals a year when you count summer programs, snacks and family dinners.
About 550 employees work each school year to prepare, transport and serve meals on a timely basis at more than 150 schools.
“We provide more than just food,” Sandra Kemp, executive director of APS Food and Nutrition Services, said in the release. “We are providing healthy, nutritional meals served by caring food service professionals.”
Natioanl School Lunch Week will highlight the nutritious foods available daily at Albuquerque schools.
Frito Pie remains one of the top school menu items, but the recipe has been modified over the years to make it healthier for students.
“School lunches offer students fruits and vegetables, whole grains and milk, and meet federal nutrition standards limiting fat, calories, and sodium,” Kemp said. “National School Lunch Week helps us educate parents and students about all the wonderful benefits of our lunch program.”
