Has our school food program finally broken the stereotype of dreaded school lunches? Are the days of playdough-textured mashed potatoes, mystery hamburger meat, and bagged vegetables over?
This school year, Food Services personnel have begun to make huge efforts to provide fresher, more appetizing meals for the hundreds of hungry students at Burroughs.
“We have been pushing to create more fresh, unpackaged meals for our students,” said Head Chef Roxanna Garrick. “I believe, [this] has led to many more students coming to receive our school food.”
Last year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law the California State Meal Mandate, which requires schools to offer a nutritionally adequate breakfast and lunch for all students.
While the increase in traffic to the cafeteria may be linked to the elimination of perceived social stigma for students receiving free meals, the efforts of the lunch ladies have also greatly contributed to a positive reaction towards the school-provided food.
Recent menu items have consisted of fresh salads and tasty meat, such as carne asada or chicken. Breakfast includes fruit-filled yogurt. Portion sizes and packaging have also changed to become more accommodating to students.
Students voiced appreciation for the changes.
“Honestly, receiving a school lunch just never appealed to me,” said junior Hank Lint. “The meals usually consisted of foods that looked like they sat in the freezer for several months.”
In previous school years, the highlight of the school lunch schedule would be the occasional preheated packaged meal.
Rinse and repeat; students ate whatever prepackaged form of a main course was provided, along with some sort of packaged snack.
Whether you ask students accustomed to the entirely packaged meals or a student who packs a lunch, the general response is that the school lunches were generally lacking in taste.
“Last year I would leave a lot of my food untouched because it just wasn’t appetizing to finish,” said junior Demille Hudson.
The development from packaged meals to fresh meals has made the school food program much more enticing for students.
While the changes are still in their earliest stages, everyone can agree it has already begun to leave positive effects on students — both breaking the stigma and providing tasty nutrition.
