For centuries, cookies have been a staple treat for millions of people. Here at Kaneland High School, there has been a certain cookie craze that has existed for many years. What could it be? It is, of course, our lunch line cookies.
The lunch line cookies may appear to be regular chocolate chip cookies, but that doesn’t stop them from being a total hit within the school’s community. Students of all ages tend to gravitate towards this tasty treat, so it’s really no surprise that, according to a Google Form survey of 132 Kaneland students, 78% view them favorably.
So, what is it that students love about these cookies? The answer is quite simple for many. There are certain qualities people look for in a cookie, and the ones served in the lunch line certainly fulfill these traits.
Senior Madison Mittman believes that they are just right for her own tastes. When it comes to the lunch line options, Mittman thinks that they are everything a cookie should be.
“I’m a big texture person when it comes to food,” Mittman said. “They’re the perfect blend of crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.”
With how popular these cookies are, there is a reason why students continue to get them.
“I get them once a week,” sophomore Chloe Wilson said. “They’re not too soft or too crunchy. They’re in between, and the chocolate chips are good.”
Despite their popularity, there are some people who aren’t big fans of the cookies. Freshman Ezekiel Howard is one of those who doesn’t see the reason these cookies are so popular.
“They don’t taste exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. I would give them a 6/10. They are fine,” Howard said.
However, this opinion seems to be the exception rather than the norm. Students also remember how these treats have evolved throughout the years. Chocolate chip cookies aren’t the only kind to have been sold in the lunch line. In the last three years alone, there have been at least three different kinds of cookies that have been served.
Junior Oak Johnson, who has been getting these cookies ever since they were a freshman, recalls a time when a different type was available.
“I remember when it was not just chocolate chip,” they said. “They had sugar cookies as well, and they are amazing.” T
he variation didn’t stop there. Junior Hannah Lindgren described a special kind of cookie they serve once in a while that is a favorite of hers.
“Sometimes they [serve] s’more cookies,” Lindgren said. “There’s a little bit of marshmallow mixed in with the chocolate. I really like s’mores, so those are always fun to see.”
Finally, it was a pleasant surprise to learn from junior Ava Lange that there has been yet another kind of cookie to have been served, and it’s one she en joys very much.
“[I love] the sea salt caramel ones because they’re just so good, and they are the best cookies I’ve ever tasted in my whole life,” Lange said.
With all this hype, a question still floats around in most people’s minds: How are the cookies made? Well, cafeteria staff member Laura Hickman says the process is simpler than you might think.
“Honestly, we don’t make them. We buy them,” Hickman said. The process from this point isn’t very complicated, according to her. “We dish them up the day before and we put them back in the freezer, then I come in and cook them all in the morning. We let them cool in the back, and then we dish them up the next day.”
With over 1,300 students in the building, it would not be very realistic to make each cookie from scratch. To put it into perspective, Hickman said that they currently make 14 trays of about 48 cookies each day. Even without stopping to do the math, those are a lot of cookies being made.
Even though they may not be made as some would expect, that doesn’t mean these cookies aren’t still delicious. Their popularity hasn’t died down, and it doesn’t seem like it will soon. After all, why would it? At the end of the day, they are still a tasty treat that are loved by many.
