I recently rode Amtrak’s Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle, a trip of more than 2,000 miles across three time zones and seven states.

Whether I was exploring a chilly platform during a brief layover in St. Paul (above) or enjoying the clean, stark views of an unexpectedly long stop in Shelby, Montana, (right), I had a great time -- and talk about it in this latest podcast.

Taking the train isn’t for everybody. I know it’s a cliché to say so, but in long-distance train travel, it’s the trip that makes the experience worthwhile. If you want to get there quickly, fly. What's especially fun for me is seeing all the small towns -- and reading some of the small-town newspapers you're able to get at station stops.

In jobs gone by, I occasionally had to edit school lunch menus. Once, a local school district got a nasty letter from Ore-Ida because although "Tater Tots" were constantly listed in their menu, the company had somehow determined that the school cafeteria's side dish was not, in fact, genuine Tater Tots® brand potato product. 

That's why I read small-town newspapers' school lunch menus with a great deal of interest. Whether it's fun dishes like "Chef Betsy's Special Surprise" or "Same as Tuesday" (I've actually seen those over the years), these simple yet vital lists provide a wonderful culinary glimpse into those thrilling meals of yesteryear.

When the Empire Builder pulled into Minot, North Dakota, all of us sleeper car passengers received a fresh copy of the Minot Daily News. After reading about the rodeo news and that high school gal who bagged a moose, I turned to the school lunch menus in the Education section.

Once I got back to Chicago, I surfed more of the Minot menus online and discovered something remarkable: These folks have more than one way of making tacos for kids. Check it out:

Taco, Taco in a bag, Taco on a tray.

Minot schools are versatile with ground beef, as well. They serve cheeseburger, sloppy joe -- and then something called a slushburger, which sure sounds like a sloppy joe to me.

They also make references to Tater Tots, spelled in a variety of styles -- including Tator tot hotdish. Speaking of Tater Tots, anybody want to try Tater Tots Tuna Pie?

Maybe Amtrak should try serving that in the dining car.

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