Mary Cook works at Village of Barboursville Elementary as cafeteria manager. She is a resident of Barboursville and has been employed by the Cabell County Board of Education for 19 years. Before Village of Barboursville Elementary, she worked at Cabell Midland High School as a cook and Huntington High as a cafeteria manager. She graduated from Marshall University and has worked in some form of the food industry since she was 14. She had her own catering business for 10 years. She was president of the Parent-Teacher Association at Barboursville Elementary School for four years and Cabell County PTA president for two years. She has two children, three stepchildren and eight grandchildren.


What was your reaction to the second episode?
I felt the theme was getting away from processed foods. The chicken nugget demo was priceless, even seeing the disgusting products going in the students were still willing to eat the nugget. I think that the show picks at negative menus such as chicken nuggets. How often do you think we serve nuggets at school, once sometimes twice a month other then spaghetti or pizza (whole wheat) that is our biggest day? I think that you are not pointing out that we are meeting the state guidelines. You are telling the parents that our meals are not good, in my 19 years as a cook

I can honestly say that I have never used as much oil or cheese as we are using since we started your menus. Maybe you could mention all the foods that we made from scratch. I think that you made the school board and staff, come across as uncaring and unconcerned. You may not agree with the regulations and requirements of our state but the nutrients are all calculated in our meals. Serving raw vegetables and fresh fruit is nothing new to us.

Jamie I have been cooking your meals since November, our lunch count has dropped and we have more students bringing their lunches. You should take a look in the lunch boxes that would really make you cry. I think you have a good idea and you are headed in the right direction but you are giving the impression that school lunches are all bad. I hope you clear this up. We do all need to eat better and exercise more.