By Megan Keyser
megankeyser
Hundreds of girls stormed the Marian cafeteria on the first day of school, craving those chocolate chip cookies they had yearned for over the three summer months of disconnect. Racing over to the lunch line, they were greeted by a surprise addition to the cafeteria: a salad bar.
“We’ve been adding a lot of healthy alternatives over the years,” lunch man Tim Eoratti said. Eoratti and Bill Agnew began selling Blimpie sandwiches as vendors in the Marian cafeteria in 1996. At the time, Agnew was on the Omaha Police Department, and his daughters were Marian students. Eoratti worked full time at his Blimpie restaurant.
“In 2001, Ms. Kish [former Head of School] came to us [Eoratti and his coworker of the time] because the vendors were not showing up and raising prices on the kids,” Eoratti said. “We said we’d start a lunch program together. We started out with the basics: hot dogs, spaghetti, hamburgers, tacos. Bill joined me full time in 2002. We also had part time people helping us. Bill’s daughter would help out, his wife, whoever could help.”
“Luann [Thommes, a lunch crew member] came on in 2008 when her daughters were at Marian,” Eoratti said. “Patti [Fleming, another worker,] joined us in 2012. She was a nurse at the convent, retired, and came to work with us. So, [from then on], it’s been us four. We have one other sub we call when it gets busy.”
After years of serving Marian girls pizza, fries, and cookies, the lunch crew decided it was time to offer healthier menu options. “The salad bar idea came up about three or four years ago,” Eoratti said. “We just didn’t know how to present it or how it would work.”
For what many argue a reasonable price of $3.50, Marian students and staff are offered a lettuce mix and a variety of toppings, including bacon bits, olives, cheese, tomatoes, croutons, dressing and more.
The Network surveyed the student body and shared the requests with Eoratti. Some of the top requests for toppings and items were avocado, chicken, ham cubes, red onion and fruit.
“We are still trying to get a good cost for the prices,” Eoratti said. “It’s very expensive because we have no control over who takes what. We hope people don’t abuse it and, if they don’t, we will keep the price down.”
While the lunch crew’s chocolate chip cookies are never a bad idea, “it’s good to have some healthy options,” junior Keara Compton said. Many girls agree as they crowd around the salad bar, enjoying their delicious new menu option.
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