PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — At Portland’s Hayhurst Elementary School, hamburgers and mozarella bread sticks were on the school lunch menu. But students weren’t limited to those choices, and in fact shared some of their food with others who may have been more hungry.
For more than 10 years, Hayhurst — and all Portland Public Schools with a cafeteria — have had a “No Thank You” table where students can share pre-packaged food like cheese, milk and yogurt plus whole fruit.
“Students have the opportunity to take foods that they don’t want to eat or consume at that time to share with other students that may be hungry,” said Ben Dandeneau, the Nutrition Services Program Manager for PPS.
The concept has been growing nationwide. The program follows federal and local food safety guidelines.
“We don’t want unwrapped food. We don’t want a carrot, a piece of broccoli. We want something that’s safe for another student to eat, so whole, wrapped peanut butter and jelly, string cheese, milk, whole fruits apples, pears, something another student can enjoy,” he told KOIN 6 News.
It’s a hit with both staff and student.
One student said, “If somebody, like, wants it, people can raise their hand and come over and get it and they can come back to their seat and just eat it.”
“If some Mom or Dad doesn’t pack enough food for their kid, they can grab it and eat it,” another said. “It’s a really neat idea.”
Dandeneau said each day is different at lunch.
“Sometimes it’s a free-for-all when students put down something and then 10 seconds later another student takes it. Or a student puts down something and 10 or 15 minutes later at the end of lunch a kid is really hungry and says ‘I want that.'”
Sometimes it’s hard to get the kids to take fruits and vegetables, he said. So if a whole apple or pear is placed on the “No Thank You” table, “we would resave and rewash but we prefer prepackaged items so when it’s safe for other students to enjoy.”
The table also “teaches children to help share and share among their fellow students.”
Not surprisingly, one of the hottest items on the “No Thank You” table is chocolate milk.
At the end of lunch the staff checks to see if any remaining items on the “No Thank You” table can be saved. If it’s safe and healthy for another day, Dandeneau said they can re-serve it in their cafeteria.
Is there one thing the kids wish they could get on the “No Thank You” table?
“Candy!” students said.
