New Dryden Elementary School kitchen, cafeteria in full swing 

Megan Munson, food service director for the Dryden Central School District (DCSD), faced a challenge at one of the district’s elementary schools.

Last spring, DCSD began renovation and construction of the kitchen and cafeteria at Dryden Elementary School (DES). This meant that Munson and her staff had to relocate to a temporary serving location.

The staff served meals out of the temporary location within DES and cooked meals at the Dryden middle/high school building.

Due to the sheer volume of students at DES, Munson said that her staff had to make three runs a day to the middle/high school for meals.

Munson noted that DES’s new kitchen and cafeteria were slated to open in September. However, due to construction delays, Munson had to improvise for a bit longer.

DES’s kitchen staff proceeded to deliver meals to 33 classrooms for a week. Munson said that each classroom would fill out a Google order form to indicate how many meals were needed, and the meals were placed in coolers staged throughout the building.

A few months later, DES’s new kitchen and cafeteria are in full swing. Munson noted the kitchen is a “full-cooking kitchen with top-of-the-line equipment.”

“We did that [temporary service] for a good week, then we got access to our kitchen, which is absolutely beautiful,” Munson said.

When it comes to DES, the challenge aspect is still there. Munson noted that DES currently has 507 students in the building. In comparison, Cassavant and Freeville elementary schools have 84 and 80 students, respectively.

“It’s certainly a challenge. It takes a lot of planning on our end. We have a tight grip on our production,” Munson said.

The new cafeteria includes a salad bar, a bulk milk dispenser and coolers to round out the revamped space. The dispenser helps students practice using reusable cups and other items, as the district minimizes the selection of 8-ounce milk cartons.

“The dispenser really limits the use of disposable and plastic items in our facilities,” Munson said.

Munson said that the students have enjoyed the salad bar, which includes a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Other options include hummus, an item that Munson said many students hadn’t previously tried.

DES kitchen staff also offers some unique items, including watermelon radishes and blood oranges.

“It gives the students a chance to have an experience with their meals,” Munson said.

DES is part of a scratch-cooked district, Munson said, noting that the district follows a six-week cycle menu.

“A lot of our food is homemade, and it’s coming out of our central kitchen that is at the middle/high school,” Munson said. “We’re running a pretty tight ship with our production, so we can minimize waste.”

DES has burger day on Thursdays and pizza day on Mondays — along with a rotating meal selection of roasted and marinated chicken, calzones, baked ziti, French toast casserole and more.

Munson noted that the salad bar can be tailored to complement the meal of the day. On burger day, for example, the salad bar provides leaf lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, bacon and more.

“It allows the kids to build a bigger and more grand burger. They love customizing it and trying new foods,” Munson said.

The kitchen, Munson noted, has a combined convection and steam oven. 

“It has high-quality output and it’s very efficient,” she said. “It can cook a pizza in seven minutes, which is good because pizza Mondays are very popular.”

All in all, Munson said the renovations to the kitchen and cafeteria were a “much-needed upgrade.”

“We dealt with a lot of old, outdated equipment,” she said. “Some of it was not operational or didn’t work at 100% of its capacity.”

The renovations, Munson said, have assisted in the 47% spike in participation in meals within the district.

“Our participation has skyrocketed, which I think started two years ago,” she said. “I’d like to say it’s because of the renovations, but [since] two years ago, everyone in the district eats for free. We’re still seeing an increase as we go.”

Dryden Dispatch appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Yoga for Life held every Wednesday in Freeville

Village of Freeville resident Michelle Dardia hosts a Yoga for Life session every Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Freeville United Methodist Church at 37 Main St.

The drop-in fee for the session is $10. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Some experience is helpful but not required, as the sessions are committed to being accessible.

Variations and modifications are offered, and extra mats and blocks will be available at each session.

For information or questions, contact Dardia at dollysdaughter@hotmail.com or 607-279-4785.

Silent book club at the library on Jan. 27

Southworth Library in the village of Dryden will hold a silent book club gathering at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 27.

“We’ll spend some time chatting and getting snacks, and give a preview of the give away book and then you will be free to grab a cozy seat and read in a room with other readers, no conversation required,” according to a description.

The club allows people to choose a free book from the library’s pile to read and take home. Participants can also bring a book to the gathering.

The club is for ages 16 and older. To register, go to southworthlibrary.org.