04/27/2026
This coming Friday is National School Lunch Hero Day! Here are some thoughts I want to express (partly from another post I saw but mainly from me).
We are not "just" the lunch lady or dude.
We are not "just" the Director.
We are not "just" the Cafeteria Manager.
We are not "just" Kitchen Staff.
We are a SCHOOL LUNCH HERO!
The kind of hero who shows up at 6 a.m.
The one who knows which kid hasn't eaten since yesterday's lunch.
The one who knows which kid prefers grapes over apples.
The one who knows what kind of juice the kiddos want when they come in for breakfast.
The one who knows which kid wants gravy and which one who doesn't.
The one who knows which kiddo is allergic to maple syrup, peanut butter or gluten and needs a special meal.
The one who knows their interests and asks how their game, contest or test went.
The one who can look across the line and tell when a baby's not having a good day — because that's what we call them. Our "babies" (or our "kiddos", like I do).
The ones we've watched grow up right in front of our very own eyes.
The ones whose names we remember long after they've left our school.
The ones who run up to us in the grocery store to give us a big hug and the ones who come back after they graduate just to say hi.
And it's not just me, it's the WHOLE entire team. The ones who show up beside us every single morning and do it again, and again, and again.
Friday, May 1, is School Lunch Hero Day. Please, everyone, help celebrate those Heroes at your school!! Even just a thank you goes such a long way!
Often times we get overlooked because we "aren't important" or because we aren't teachers and it falls during Teacher Appreciation Week or even because sometimes we aren't technically District staff. BUT you know what we are..... We are those people who feed your kids, your grandkids, your niece or nephew and your students so they can have a full belly to be at their very best while learning from you amazing teachers!
We get one day to be "recognized". One. But I wrote this because I see you. I appreciate you. I know what you carry and I know how much pride you take showing up and I just want others to do the same.
Thank you for all you do, Heroes!!
Signed,
A Director of Nutrition Services and a 20+ year veteran in this awesome line of work!
