Thirty-five tons of apples, oranges, bananas and plums, 1,600 gallons of milk, 16 tons of grilled chicken breasts and 39,040 candy bars. The list of food consumed here in one month goes on and on.

“It’s an amazing operation,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Schields, 379th Expeditionary Services Squadron commander, referring to the largest food service operation in the region. “No matter how you slice and dice it, the 379th feeds more people than any other base in the theater.”

On any given day, the food service flight serves 14,000 meals at the Manhattan, Independence and Somerset Dining Facilities -- an average of more than 400,000 meals monthly. It costs $3.5 million to keep the 379 AEW and tenant units from going hungry.

“Most Airmen don’t worry about the cost per meal (which averages $3.95),” Colonel Schields said. “Instead they prefer to talk about their favorite food offerings.”

The pasta bar is the most popular selection by far. Wednesday night, steak and shrimp ranks a close second, and turkey and chicken breast are also popular. But holiday meals are always a favorite over routine offerings.

“Every Christmas and Thanksgiving, we serve 3,000 pounds of turkey, 3,000 pounds of steamship round, 1,000 pounds of ham, 120 cases of eggnog and 200 pumpkin pies,” said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Gideon, food service flight chief. “When you have someone in a bow tie carving the beef and you’re eating on tablecloths, it gives the meal a special ambience.”

To guarantee turkey and steamship round in time for the holidays, services staff order the holiday meats six months early to ensure on-time delivery.

The process of ordering food is complex. Services places food orders 75 to 90 days in advance, anticipating needs based on past consumption rates.

Ninety percent of the canned goods, rice and frozen meat and vegetables are shipped from the U.S. in sealed containers aboard boats. Once on base, these items are stored in 7,000 square foot freezers at minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Locally procured items with a short shelf-life include produce, bread and milk. All local food purchases are U.S. Veterinary Command-approved, meeting public health standards in cleanliness and freshness. Because of the ordering process and limited amount of fresh produce in Southwest Asia, Airmen may not always see an extensive selection as they would at home.

Another factor affecting the variety of food selections is demand.

“I’ve gotten a couple of requests for things like soybean ice cream and pomegranates,” Sergeant Gideon said. “But we buy in bulk, and this means if only a few people eat the food, the rest will eventually become outdated and go to waste.”

That doesn’t mean requests aren’t considered. For example, a relatively large number of deployed Airmen requested plain yogurt, and services is now working with a local vender to purchase it.

Some specialty food items are baked on site. At 200 to 300 calories a pop, fresh-baked cookies remain a staple in many Airmen’s diet. Up to 8,000 cookies are baked daily.

“Chocolate chip is still number one,” Colonel Schields said. “And double-chocolate is a close second.”

Airmen are limited to two cookies per meal because of their popularity.

“The fresh-baked cookies remind people of home,” Colonel Shields said. “Cookies are a comfort food and people tie it to the quality of life.”

While fresh-baked cookies will undoubtedly remain on the menu, the 379th ESVS is shifting to healthier options in other areas.

“We’re going to be switching to baked french toast instead of deep-fried,” Sergeant Gideon said. “And we already make low-cholesterol scrambled eggs and personalize omelets to just egg whites.”

The Quick Turn Grab ‘n’ Go also offers healthy alternatives with an abundance of fresh fruit and lighter alternatives like low-calorie cereals.

“We make 70,000 to 80,000 sandwiches a month,” said Staff Sgt. Nicole Toyco, services technician. “The grilled chicken breast is by far the most popular.”

Grab ‘n’ Go customers make their selections quickly and hit the road within two minutes of ordering.

“We see a lot of aircrew and people who can’t leave the flightline,” Sergeant Toyco said. “We’re open 24/7, and it’s convenient for people who can’t take a lot of time away from work.”

The Independence Dining Facility is also open 24 hours a day. To maintain these hours, staff cook around the clock, because they are always preparing for the next meal while ensuring the food is fresh.

“We’re the second largest food service operation in the Air Force,” Colonel Schields said. “So someone is always slicing, baking, cleaning or cooking.”

To support this massive food operation, third country nationals work in the kitchen. In turn, these TCNs bring their culinary skills and ideas to the menu.

“We recently started serving ethnic meals focusing on Nepalese and Bengali recipes,” Sergeant Gideon said. “These have been a hit.”

Colonel Schields said the services flight is always looking for new ideas and ways to improve customer service. In the near future, all base dining facilities will change to silverware and hard plates instead of plastic-ware and plastic foam.

“The world of food is exciting,” Colonel Schields said. “From meeting the basic need of food for survival to offering dynamic new recipes, we touch the lives of everyone on this base.”