Every day, Casti students line up for lunch, excited to see what’s on the menu. Casti students love lunchtime, with every student having their own favorite meal, but what do teachers like to eat for lunch? Over the past week, we’ve spent our lunches hunting down teachers to find out the secrets behind their delicious meals.
SCIENCE
Ian Van Wert eats the salad every day as he tries to eat as many vegetables and greens as possible. He abides by the following rule: “Eat food, mostly plants, mostly leaves.”
Bryan Valek tries to eat balanced meals daily. One of his favorite options is pork: “If they have pork, then I get the pork,” Valek said.
Elaine Middleman shares a similar mindset to Valek regarding evenness, prioritizing “a balanced meal” with a “tall cup of water,” as seen in the photo below.
MATH
Nicolas Jerrold only had one word to describe his plate: “Greens.”
Lora Saarnio echoed the same sentiment, sharing her personal view on healthy foods: eating “lots of vegetables justifies a little desert.” Saarnio likes to eat her lunch while grading tests and assignments to maximize her time.
Additionally, Steven Lai loves to eat “lots of vegetables and some fruit.” Looks like the math department is getting their veggies in!
LANGUAGE
Marie Martine Shannon tries to eat lots of protein, with one of her favorites being fish. Similar to Saarnio, she likes to be productive and work during her lunch periods.
ENGLISH
Other teachers choose to bring food from home. Due to his onion allergy, Cam Kaplan occasionally has to bring his own lunch in his Pokemon lunch box. He shared his personal opinion on what Castilleja food needs: “More flavor.”
Matt Callahan likes to have fiber-filled meals and either a plate of salad or a plate of fruit on the side. Recently, Callahan had dental surgery, so the meal pictured consisted of soft and easy-to-chew foods.
ADMIN, ACE, COLLEGE COUNSELING
Registrar Heidi Gallegos has a unique method when it comes to lunch. She uses her own salad bowl from home to create a salad with “lots of colors,” and tops it with “a good sauce.”
College counselor Gabrielle McColgan expressed gratitude for the convenience of Castilleja’s lunch: “I’m [grateful] to have food prepared for me,” McColgan said. She also does her best to make use of Castilleja’s wide selection of foods and makes “sure to take advantage of the salad bar.”
One of the biggest challenges Becca Winslow, Director of Leadership and Community Partnerships, faces with Castilleja lunch is getting to it before it’s cleaned up. With meetings sometimes lasting until 12:40, just 15 minutes before everything is put away, Winslow often finds herself running out of time or missing out on some of her favorites: “If I get down there and there’s still guacamole, it’s a good day.” Winslow also follows a similar ritual to Callahan, noting that she likes to end with the fruit salad and expressed similar gratitude to McColgan, saying she “love[s] that it’s cut up.”
Interim Head of School Julia Eells adores Castilleja pasta: “Pasta, pasta, pasta, pasta, pasta,” Eells said. However, in order to keep a healthier and more balanced diet, Eells tries to eat as many leafy greens as possible.
An anonymous member of Castilleja admin shared their lunch with their main lunchtime priorities being a fully vegetarian lunch and of course, “good [food].”
Just like us, Head of Upper School Peter Hatala loves froyo! Pictured below is Hatala with a freshly swirled froyo.
ATHLETICS, VPA
From a fitness and health viewpoint, Interim Assistant Athletic Director (and former Olympic beach volleyball player) Lauren Fendrick prioritizes the fiber she eats with every meal. On top of this, she takes advantage of Castilleja’s wide variety of foods: “I like to try something new every day,” Fendrick said.
Dance teacher Karl Kuehn’s plate has a wide variety of foods and he lives by a diet of “salad and protein for life.” Kuehn also appreciates an “extra little treat” after his meal – he truly is just like us.
From greens to fiber, protein to sauce, and pasta to treats, it’s clear to see that the Castilleja faculty truly do have their lunch plans set. It’s time to take some advice from them and step up our own lunch game – though we may never be able to compete.
