Every school day behind the counter, food service workers dole out food and ring up to hundreds of students streaming through lunch lines. Has anyone stopped to wonder what their job entails? What occurs in the day of a North Point food service worker? For food service worker Ms. Kiider, a typical day is incredibly busy.

The day begins with the breakfast shift, the easiest part of Kiider’s day. Drinks, muffins, and various food choices are set up in the “Little Nest”, distributed to the students, and recounted afterwards. Next, NEST time preparation begins. She assembles salads and chicken wraps, and stocks up on all the food on the Little Nest cart. After the lunch time rush, all the food is returned to the cafeteria. She counts money and helps her co-workers where needed. Before she leaves, she prepares the pre-packaged food for the next breakfast shift. By the end of the day, Kiider is filled to the brim with a sense of accomplishment.

When Kiider came to work at North Point she recognized some of the students she used to serve at Berry Elementary School, where she previously worked. Able to remember names and faces, she soon acquired the ability to remember student’s orders. Whether it be just a side or a whole meal, the lunch line moves quicker when Kiider knows what students want.

The heightened speed of lunch means less time to do more things. Half days and late arrival days are especially challenging. One of the most time consuming tasks of the day is making chicken wraps. Due to their popularity, extras have to be made at a faster pace.

Kiider has worked for North Point ever since the day it opened. Over the years, she has witnessed school lunch transform: adoption of healthier foods, expansion of the cafeteria staff, the change from four lunch shifts to a quicker single one. Kiider says it has made her job more enjoyable, “My favorite part of my job is working the register and serving the children. I thoroughly enjoy working fast paced and as quickly as possible,” she said.

Despite her busy day, you can always expect Ms. Kiider to serve you at little NEST whenever your stomach beckons you.