Cafeteria Has No Place at Los Amigos High

When the 12:03 p.m. lunch bell rings at Los Amigos High School, half the 1,800 students on campus head to the area formerly known as a cafeteria.

And when the 12:33 p.m. bell rings for students to return to class, the teenagers have filled up on tacos, pizzas, burgers and egg rolls.

In a pilot food service program, Los Amigos’ traditional cafeteria was redesigned over the summer to resemble a food court found in a typical shopping mall, complete with neon signs and colorful awnings. Rather than carrots and mystery meat, students can choose from chicken Caesar salads and individual pan pizzas.

“We offer what kids are asking for, in a pleasant environment,” said Karen Papilli, Garden Grove Unified School District’s food service director.

Designed by Papilli and her staff, the food court replaced the traditional school cafeteria fare with Pizza Hut pizzas, Taco Bell burritos, and selections of burgers, fries, salads and desserts.

Papilli said the $75,000 investment to redesign the cafeteria has paid off, with half the student body buying their lunches at school rather than brown-bagging, compared to about a quarter last year.

“It’s a lot better than last year,” said 16-year-old Ivette Lopez. “Now you can actually eat here.”

“We used to eat bags of chips and sodas,” added Lopez’s friend Janet Carrasco, 17, as the pair waited in line for a burger and fries at the Lobos Grill.

A group of freshmen at a nearby table said they’d like to have McDonald’s or Jack in the Box, but conceded that the meals were more than tolerable.

Papilli said she held several focus groups last year to determine which types of food students preferred. The selections available were the winners, requiring the district to become a licensee for Taco Bell and arrange for the daily delivery of 40 full-size Pizza Hut pizzas and 100 individual pies.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are offered as a la carte items and are included in the full meal price of $1.25 to $2.

Some critics say that lunch programs like Campus Catering offer students little nutrition and high fat content. But Kim Hansen, a technical information representative with the American Dietetic Assn., said research has shown that students perform better if they eat, even pizza and tacos, instead of skipping meals.

“It is better to eat. Those calories and energy are better than none,” she said.