Thursday, October 4, 2007

A snippet

Why are high school cafeteria cookies SO good?

I remember when I was in high school, the soft chocolate chip cookies, sold in pairs, were the absolute best thing to buy in the snack bar line. I don't remember the cost, but it was a rare treat. Completely worth it to wait in the long line, mouth watering, for those tasty morsels. Some kids ate every day from the snack bar line (here, at my job, they call it the a la carte line...ah, suburbs). This was not healthy nor economical, yet I envied them. I was on the free lunch program, and we had to eat from the main lunch line. So, I usually only got this delicious cookie when it was the featured desert in the main line. SO good.

Today, at my high school job, I eat daily from the cafeteria. I used to bring my own lunch, but I'd forget it so often, that it became ridiculous how much I went without. So, a lunch account was born. There are MANY choices, and many of them are healthy. And then, there's the cookie. This chocolate chip cookie, sold alone as it is the size of my hand, is marketed like a retail store would: right before you pay. A large tray of these cookies sits at the register. Just like in high school, some kids get one (or, sadly, two or more) every day. I wait for it to be the featured dessert in another line. Just like in high school. Today, moments ago, I enjoyed this tasty treat. It's just as good as I remember. Maybe better.

Small pleasures.

5 comments:

Jen said...

There are so many things I miss about school lunch. How funny is that?!?! I miss the rectangle shaped pizza. I miss the ranch salad dressing. I miss taco salad day. I really do envy you right now that you continue to be able to eat school lunches!

I usually eat leaftovers for lunch, today it was a sandwich from Starbucks I brought home cause otherwise we were gonna toss it!

AK said...

I think I feel the same way about ice cream that you feel about cafeteria cookies. :)

Molly said...

Oh goodness gracious (I keep thinking of Riley in the fall play "Good LORD" and then I remember how that probably doesn't go over so well with this crowd) and say: The pretzel with cheese sauce, baby.

(And now, this year? I started in the lunch room, but now I eat Slim Fast granola in my classroom while reading from my novel. Seems sad, and it kind of is, but that's OK. I tried the lunch room and felt stagnant. Without you, maybe. Mostly just without.)

Anonymous said...

Heather Says:

I miss these yellow/orange looking barritos with cheese sause...

Les said...

I was one of the people who had those cookies nearly everyday that I ate lunch at school. Sometimes, nothing else...they also came in 6 packs:)