BRAGGS — Late morning at Braggs School can be tempting as the warmth of fresh baked bread or the spice of southwestern beef and bean soup waft through the halls.

Over the years, the Braggs School cafeteria has developed a reputation for home-cooking that entices students and staff members to come back for more.

“They eat until they’re full here and some come up here for seconds or thirds,” said Beverly Brassfield, who has cooked and served food at Braggs School for 30 years. “And we don’t charge any extra for seconds.”

On Wednesday, the cafeteria workers cooked their popular southwest soup, a hearty, not-too-spicy mixture of beef, beans, corn and tomatoes.

“Kids eat this who otherwise wouldn’t eat vegetables,” Brassfield said. “The older ones really like it.”

“It just tastes good,” student Kelsey McElhaney said, citing the southwest soup as her favorite.

Third-grade teacher Anita Cameron also said the soup is one of her favorite cafeteria lunches.

“It’s homemade, not out of a can,” she said.

“You should come on bean day,” fourth-grade teacher Terry Dillon said. “It’s homemade, like Grandma makes.”

Dillon said she has no idea what they put into their beans, “and I don’t think they’re telling.”

“I know they put a little garlic in the beans,” hinted cafeteria worker Donna Daily.

She said bean day is popular because of extras the cafeteria offers that day: Cabbage, okra and cobbler.

Dillon and Cameron also raved about the Thanksgiving feast the school serves the day before the holiday break.

Dillon said she likes the giblet gravy, “dressing and turkey all mixed together.”

“Sage and salt and pepper,” Cameron said.