Wonder What the Obama Girls Are Having For Lunch?

Ever wonder what the president’s children are eating for lunch. I am sure the executive chef of the White House is more than capable of making a delicious lunch for the Obama girls but let’s face it, one look at the lunch menu from Sidwell Friends School and you would quickly realize that there is no need to bring lunch. The contracted caterer for Sidwell, and other prestigious educational institutions, Meriwether-Godsey takes an all natural approach to their meal planning and the lunch options are healthy and delish. Wouldn’t it be nice if your lunch lady came from Meriwether-Godsey? We had the opportunity to talk with Leslie Phillips , Director of Business Development, and get MG’s philosophy on lunch and meal planning, as well as get a recipe or two to share with our readers.

Q: Can you tell me a little about Meriwether-Godsey, how they got their start and how they grew to be one of the most prestigious food service providers in the US?
A: First, thank your for describing us that way! Meriwether Godsey (“MG”), which was initially just a catering company, was started by Marie (Rie) Meriwether Godsey and her husband, Eddie, 25 years ago. Shortly thereafter, they were asked to provide the dining services for Rie’s alma mater, Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, and Virginia Episcopal School, both in Lynchburg, Virginia where our home office is. Almost entirely by word of mouth, MG has grown to its current size serving 37 communities which include schools, higher education, cultural arts and business venues.

Q: What is the geographic area you cover? If someone wanted to contract you to be the food service provider for their school, who would they contact?
A: We have accounts from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, and a concentration in Virginia. We are an employee-owned company and believe in growing our services responsibly so our “family” of employees continues to have opportunities. Schools interested in learning more about our approach should email me at lphillips@merig.com. They can also reach me at our home office: (434) 384-3663.

Q: With the current state of health and the concern for our school aged children, taking on “school lunch” at some of the most prestigious schools in the US is quite an undertaking. What is your philosophy on lunch? Do you approach your meal planning with a particular mission in mind?
A: Yes. Lunch does more than just “happen” at our accounts. Many believe it is the second most important meal of the day (with breakfast being first). But we know that many struggle to get a good breakfast, making lunch that much more important.

Menus are a particular area of emphasis for us. After all, what we do is about FOOD. We take a seasonal approach so we are able to incorporate the freshest, closest ingredients possible.

At the core of our philosophy is the concept of “balance.” This means we believe there are no bad foods, but some foods must be eaten in more moderation than others (for example, you should eat a whole lot more veggies than cookies). “Balance” also means balancing taste with healthfulness. Healthy foods often get a bad rap because they are associated with things that don’t taste good. Not so in our dining rooms. We have been surprised over and over with how much young people like things like cold cucumber melon soup! Finally, balance means variety. All guests (whether they are vegetarians or comfort food eaters) should be able to find something satisfying.

Q: Do you have a nutritionist work with you on meal planning? What are the considerations taken to deliver the dietary needs of growing children?
A: Yes, our Company Registered Dietitian is Sherri Meyer, RD, MS. Additionally, we have a Corporate Executive Chef and a team of Company Chefs who meet quarterly to review and update our menus so we continue to provide excellent nutrition in keeping with the latest tastes and trends. Young people are increasingly interested in food and are developing very discerning palates at a younger age. It’s fun to try to keep up with them! Sherri also provides education programs for our client communities (parents, faculty, staff) and many of our chefs offer cooking educational classes. One in particular, Cate Smith who has been our Executive Chef and Director at Duke Integrative Medicine and The Fuqua School of Business at Duke, is “certified” in “Mindful Eating.”

Q: Do you use a student or parent questionnaire/survey to help choose the menus as well, and do you use the same menu each week for all your accounts?
A: Yes, we do use surveys and questionnaires to gain feedback --- in addition to old fashioned comment cards which seem to work because we post the comments for all to see. Of course, we also encourage verbal feedback so we can respond even quicker. We welcome our communities to share their recipes in addition to their likes and dislikes.

No, we do not use the same menu each week for all accounts. Our menus allow each community to mix and match to meet the preferences of their community.

Q: How many other schools do you provide lunch for?
A: Schools: 19. We also serve one college (Guilford College), one business school (The Fuqua School of Business at Duke), and three seminaries.

Q: Are all your foods seasonal and local? What is considered when they are not? (carbon foot print, frozen vs. canned, that sort of thing)
A: Though we wish all were, they are not. Our seasonal menus help us maximize efforts to purchase locally. A few considerations make it difficult to have everything be local all the time: not all items, including staples, are grown locally; food safety issues and regulations; not enough volume; the growing season (many items are available in bulk locally when school is out for the summer) and sometimes cost.
However, our motto is fresh is best --- and we say “can the can.”

Q: What, in your opinion is the number one favorite lunch food you serve?
A: Probably home-made mac and cheese!

Q: Will you share the recipe with the iLunchBox readers?
A: Absolutely. (Above is a link to the recipe)

Q: Many moms email me with questions about gluten free or vegetarian lunch box items. Do you get the same requests from your schools? Do you have a fav or two in these categories as well? Care to share?
A: Yes, we do.
Vegetarian: Mozzarella, Tomato, Haricot Vert & Basil Salad (Above is the link to the recipe)
Gluten free: By its very nature, we always have fantastic greens stations (salad bars) that are, for the most part, gluten free. We have also engineered a number of tasty desserts, entrees and composed salads that are also gluten free.

Q: Any parting advice on how parents and schools can work together with their food service provider on providing a healthy diet for the school aged children in their charge?
A: Have the lunch program be part of the tuition or costs instead of something that children participate in a la carte. An all inclusive approach puts the mission of the program (the menu, the kind of service) in the hands of the grown-ups who are interested most in creating a tasty, healthy, popular meal each day. The schools that instead allow the children to come to the dining room each day with a “virtual” wallet struggle to maintain the integrity of the program. If left up to them, many kids will opt for the less healthy foods (chicken tenders, hot dogs, fries, sweets).

Leslie, thanks so much for your time!