School lunch catastrophe

MDCPS promises to serve a well-balanced, nutritious breakfast and lunch for students who attend public schools, but there are many students who complain about the quality and the variety of the food that is being served in school cafeterias.  However, their message doesn’t seem to spread beyond school campuses. Leaving no other choice, the natural option is for students to simply bring their own lunch; but for many, they do not have the time or money to spend on a decent lunch.

On Monday, December 17, 2018, students, including this reporter, were absolutely appalled by the condition of the school lunch that served by cafeteria: boiled, watery, unsalted chicken with an optional tortilla.  As if Monday couldn’t get any worse, you have the option to add cold, tough fries to your plate.  Boiled chicken yuck! Obviously, there were added choices: dry, flavorless wings and the trashcan’s favorite, steamed unsalted veggies.  Healthy does not equal flavorless food, and adding condiments and ensuring that the food is edible doesn’t cost much. Students are all in for eating healthy foods, but if the food is not visually appealing and great tasting, the county and/or state is just wasting their money.

According to the National Lunch Program (NSLP), about 30 million students eat in schools daily and this program spends about $12.7 billion on their lunches! In this reporters opinion, this money is not being spent correctly.  Granted, each cafeteria only serves what it’s being provided by the county and/or state, but it’s a ridiculous menu with unsavory food.  Sometimes, even the portion sizes seem to be for toddlers! After a long day of running around campus, it’s hard to trick your stomach to eat food that your eyes are not necessarily craving.  I think the current lunch menus need to be taken back to the “carving” board.