New York school district offers after-school meals

SKANEATELES, N.Y. — Elaine Crysler and her team at the Skaneateles Central School District lunch program have made some changes that they hope will both give students healthier meal options and boost the program's participation.

One of those ideas, the school lunch manager said, is to offered boxed meals for athletes and other students who stay late after school and might not get a chance for a healthy dinner until later at night.

Crysler noted high school students eat lunch by 12:20 p.m. each day, and if they then have an away game or play practice, for example, they often do not get to eat a complete meal until they return home afterward.

After noticing parents coming into school to drop off snacks and food for their children, she said someone gave her the idea of providing meals to students after school so that they have something healthy to eat.

"Why can't we do something?" Crysler of her reaction to the suggestion. "There is a need."

After researching other schools that offered boxed meals, Crysler said she found out what they provide and how much it costs and then the lunch program started a pilot program in the spring.

Now, beginning with this school year, the program continues to offer boxed meals for students staying after school for whatever reason.

"We did really well in the spring," Crysler said.

According to a handout Crysler provided, the boxed meals cost $6 apiece and include the choice of a ham or turkey sub, as well as a bag of chips, bottle of water, carrots, fresh fruit, a cookie and a napkin.

Students fill out the form and return it to the cafeteria office by noon on the day they need the meal, and then they pick up meals between 2:20 and 2:45 p.m. that day.