First Time Kindergartners – Building Confidence in the Hot Lunch Line
We encourage parents to come and eat lunch with their child any time but if you can only make it to a single lunch during the year, we suggest going within the first week of school.
It is common practice for kindergarten teachers to walk the students to the cafeteria on the first day before lunch to go through the practice of getting milk, a tray, making choices in the line, and using their numbers or lunch cards. What this training lacks is the authenticity of the hustle and bustle of a school cafeteria at lunchtime.
For kindergartners, the cafeteria is one of the first places they are able to make decisions about what they eat and the people whom they sit next to. These decisions coupled with the volume of traffic and noise can be an overwhelming experience, causing some students to shy away from the main meal and go directly to an open seat.
With the help of a parent or guardian, you can help your child overcome fears and anxiety that many face during this time. When you’re there, it’s important to let your child know that they can let the serving staffs know what they would most like on their plate. We provide an “Offer vs. Serve” program, which means students only need to choose at least 4 items of what is being served, and what they take is up to them.
We like to do our part in easing the Kindergarten cafeteria transition by trying to develop a relationship with each and every student. This starts with friendly and helpful kitchen staffs who reach out to students by engaging them in taste tests, promotions, holiday meals, and other educational opportunities throughout the year.
We want to remind parents that they are always welcome and encouraged to join their students for breakfast or lunch and that lunch prices for students are all only around $2.00 for a nutritionally balanced meal with unlimited access to fruits and veggies.
