Sudduth Elementary Preps For Thanksgiving Luncheon

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Over 40 pans of dressing and over 200 pounds of turkey.

Sudduth cafeteria manager, Ella Jefferson, made her list and started preparing for the school’s annual thanksgiving lunch about three weeks ago.

She says getting this feast finished for around 900 students and their 600 or so special guests takes a team effort.

“We always come together to help each other out,” said Jefferson. “Dressing, she asked me who makes the dressing, everybody in the kitchen makes dressing. Everybody has a hand in whatever we do because we are a team and the only way we can get it done is to feed over 1500 people tomorrow is with team effort.”

Jefferson’s and her kitchen staff customize the menu, but the students have a voice in it too. They select the dessert.

“I love it when they say ‘I want that chocolate cake. Teachers get it all year,'” said Jefferson. “And they smile and they are so happy and when their family is coming to eat with them there’s the most smiles so we work real hard to pull this off and we do it with a smile because we love what we do.”

Principal Elizabeth Mosley had the pleasure of taste testing the cake and dressing, and gives her thumbs up.

“Oh I love this day. This is the best meal in town,” said Mosley. “I look forward to this every year. This cafeteria staff does the very best. It’s just an awesome experience and we love having the parents in and we hope everybody enjoys it as much as we do.”

The food is certainly a special treat, but Child Nutrition Director, Ginny Hill, says families being together is what it’s all about.

“The cafeteria staff loves to prepare the meals for all the students and their families that come and eat with them,” said Hill. “We do this as a tradition now but we just love to be able to host this and remind people what this time of year is about.”