A hot lunch on a cold day helps the smiles stay for students at St. Gregory the Great Catholic School in Blackfalds.
School divisions across the province received a provincial grant earlier this year to create a healthy eating pilot program at one school.
Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools selected St. Gregory for the Nutritious Lunch Program, which serves up free hot lunches to students from kindergarten to Grade 6.
“So far it’s been a really big success and has gone very smoothly,” said Jill Hynes, cafeteria manager. “The kids are loving it, and parents like that they don’t have to pack a lunch every day.”
In the first two weeks, 180 students from kindergarten to Grade 2 were fed hot lunches and over the next two weeks students from Grades 3 to 6 will get the hot lunches.
If all goes as planned, every student will get the lunches after that period.
Some of the lunches served so far include soups, chilies, casseroles and potato lasagna. Hynes said she wants to add different types of meals as the program continues.
“As the kids walk by the cafeteria they’re always waving, smiling and complimenting the food so that’s been really good,” said Hynes.
The menu is created with Alberta Health Services dietitians to ensure dietary needs are met.
Chris Andrew, St. Gregory principal, said he’s happy his school was chosen to host the pilot project.
“It’s really great for the kids, especially on a cold day like today, to have a hot lunch,” he said.
Grade 6 to 9 students at the school help serve the food at lunch, which counts towards their community service hours. Andrew said the program will eventually be able to feed Grade 7, 8 and 9 students at a small price as well.
“It’ll only be $4 for them to buy a lunch which is a really good deal for a middle school student to eat,” he said.
One of the reasons St. Gregory was chosen for the pilot program was because it has a commercial kitchen inside the school, Andrew added.
“Getting everything together has been a little inundating a bit because we’re trying to feed 360 students, but so far it’s been good,” he said.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter