While for students, Oyster River High School’s (ORHS) lunch bell means a quick break from classes, it means much more for the lunch staff as it starts a carefully planned operation to provide meals for the entire school. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team works early mornings to plan menus, prepare meals, manage purchasing, and serve food that students will enjoy and also complies with the government’s nutrition guidelines.
The daily work in the ORHS lunchroom is much more than serving food and the process of how food gets on students’ plates is overlooked by many. As someone who grabs lunch almost every day, I’ve realized how little most of us think about the work that is happening behind the scenes when it impacts us so much.
The ORHS lunchroom is more than a line to grab food from, it’s an essential service run by a team behind the SAU Director of School Nutrition, Maredith St. Onge. From carefully selecting menu items compliant with government standards, evaluating what students enjoy, and managing food waste, the lunchroom functions as a system aimed at nutrition and sustainability while keeping food accessible and affordable.
According to St. Onge, “Anything that has to do with food, pretty much, I’m responsible for—from menus and purchasing to training and managing staff.” Her role requires overseeing the food service across all district schools while ensuring compliance with federal nutrition mandates. Hearing her describe the range of the responsibilities she has helped me understand how much coordination goes into something as simple as the cookies or wraps we have.
The lunch menu planning is a month-long process that adapts seasonally to products available through the New Hampshire Buying Group, a collective purchasing program that leverages the buying power of multiple districts to secure better pricing and to make sure that all food items meet strict government guidelines, especially for nutrition and sourcing. “There’s a gentleman who manages it and makes sure that we are buying the approved products. And because there are 54 districts in the buying group, we get a good price point,” St. Onge explained.
We sometimes find it easier to complain when our favorite snack is out or our favorite meal hasn’t been made in a while, but by being able to see how much thought and preparation is put into the decisions makes you realize there’s more to it. Yet, no system is perfect and predicting exactly how much food to prepare is a challenge that requires continuous adjustment.
The cafeteria keeps production records tracking the number of items sold, like chicken sandwiches, Uncrustables, or ice cream, just to name a few favorites. This trial-and-error method helps kitchen staff control order quantities, avoid waste, and maintain enough stock to satisfy students’ tastes, which often shift year to year. “If we’re constantly running out of something, we adjust the par list, the certain amount of items we keep on hand,” says St. Onge.
Waste reduction is a priority at ORHS with composting and food reuse practices in place to make sure we use the most out of our materials. ORHS partners with a local compost company called Mr. Fox, where kitchen scraps and lunchroom waste are composted. However, it’s important for us as students to make sure we’re buying the right amount for ourselves because the majority of food waste here at ORHS comes from us, students.
Leftover cooked food can safely be reheated one more time before being thrown away under food safety regulations. “We try to reuse and recook leftovers, but after the second use, it has to be discarded,” St. Onge said, focusing on safety alongside sustainability.
Student input on meals tends to be indirect but can be influential on future purchases. While official menus are based on what products the cafeteria has on hand, feedback from students and teachers sometimes leads to additions like shepherd’s pie or special holiday meals. “I mean, sure I’ll take some input,” St. Onge said. The monthly menu typically features recurring favorites such as wraps, tacos, and pizza.
The lunch staff ’s day starts long before the first student arrives, when a small team led by cafeteria manager Tim Kenaley arrives at 6:45 to begin prep along with five others. “If anyone ever has any questions, they know to come down and talk to us. We’re pretty open down here,” Kenaley shared, emphasizing the community that the lunchroom creates for students.
When asked about popular items he said, “Definitely our wraps, I think,” mentioning how they are customizable which makes them favored by many students. So next time you order that omelet in the morning before school starts, you can thank the team that took the time to get here extra early for you.
From the students’ perspectives, convenience and efficiency weigh heavily in whether to buy lunch or bring in food from home. Grayson Cox (‘27) explained, “It’s just a lot easier. I don’t have to pack a lunch in the morning.” His staple lunch includes a wrap or nachos on the very popular Taco Tuesday the school has, and of course you can’t forget the famous school cookies.
The lunchroom staff have built strong relationships and a welcoming environment here at ORHS. St. Onge shared, “They’ll come in at 9th grade and leave as seniors. It’s rewarding to see how far these students have come. Some still come back and remember us.” The staff ’s care goes beyond serving meals which is recognized by many students when they bring in small gifts like magnets or keychains from vacations as gestures of appreciation for their work.
The ORHS lunchroom aims to continue balancing nutritional requirements and student satisfaction as they serve everyone. Expanding menu variety and sustainability efforts are top priorities to keep pace with student tastes. After spending time learning about it, I’ve started to look at lunch differently and to be more grateful for the work that gets done in the cafeteria every day. For many students, the lunchroom may seem like just a place to get food, often overlooking the care and hard work that goes into every meal served.
– Xander Ahn
Mouth of the River 
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