Lunch Lady

   There is no cafeteria at the kids' school, but there is a canteen.  Run by volunteer parents, the canteen offers breakfast, snack and lunch fare daily.  When my funny guy husband heard that I was starting to volunteer in the canteen, I was quickly serenaded, via mobile (Aussies don't say cell phone) phone, via YouTube, by Adam Sandler's Lunch Lady Land song.  Hmmph.

    In the mornings, the canteen has freshly made chocolate chip and M&M muffins, hot chocolate, raisin toast and fruit for sale.  Want to guess how many times per week Mia asks for a chocolate muffin?  At recess, there is warm garlic bread, just-made basmati rice with soy sauce and various other snacks available.  Lunch options include sandwiches made to order (including Vegemite of course), macaroni and cheese, sausage rolls, and daily specials like sushi and chicken schnitzel sandwiches.  They offer healthy options like freshly cut veggies and fruit, but then also Oreos, licorice, and even popsicles.




Warm garlic bread ready for recess.



Students place their orders on a paper bag and submit the $ inside it.

      Follow-up:   One bag had an order for a musk stick on it.  I didn't know this was an item available at the canteen, as it's not on the menu.  Anyhow, I asked my fellow canteen ladies about it and was told "Oh, yeah, that's an Aussie thing."  I was encouraged to try it, so I did.  As I'm biting into it, one lady says "It's definitely an acquired taste.  I think it's awful and it stays with you forever."  Thanks.  It was pretty bad; tasted like eating laundry detergent with sugar added.  Nothing a little chocolate wouldn't fix though!  Apparently they also make musk flavored Lifesavers, available in Australia and New Zealand.

   So, I didn't have to wear a hairnet and I didn't serve any "slop, slop, sloppy joes" but I did serve up some meat pies "with a little slice of love."

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