Lunch.....errrr Yum?

Blogger: Crazy pigs and thoughts on life - Edit Post "Lunch.....errrr Yum?"
Ahh, another popular TV ridicule, that almost every kiddy/child/"fun when you don't want to use your brain" show used. Its simple classic the evil lunch lady with slop/mystery meet/ something not meant to be edible totally delicious. Take for example the image on the right. While that is unrealistic, unless all of those government agencies have gone MIA, lunch still isn't the delightful restaurant meal. *If this is the situation where you live, please take action. Not only should you not have to suffer, it is illegal.* But today I will outline several issues from my school, most of them not even related to the actual content of the lunch tray. As in modern day, while the food looks real, no one ever said that is was. And the lunch planning at my now former school is drastic.
Background:
You are allowed to get as many of the following as you wish, one of each:
Entree, Milk (Or water for a little more), Bread (unless part of the entree), two fruits/vegetables. All for 2.25. Snacks, seconds entries and etc. Cost more.
Here is a sample menu: http://www.fcps.edu/parents/print/mslunch05.pdf

Issue #1-anti-vegetarian
So theoretically for the entree, there is supposed to be an option of meat or a meat alternative. Which is not always true. In fact many times both options have meat, I mean unless chicken tenders and pork egg rolls don't have meat, if that is the case, well I apologize. And sometimes when the menu says they have it, they don't. (See bellow) Although they always have half frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and gross salads, that even a veterinarian would not like. This is not a little thing, and a pretty big trend. It would only fair for the school system to accommodate those who don't eat meat, as they are not a tiny minority. If they put so much focus on treating everyone fairly, they should apply the same effort to lunch. Or do vegetarians don't count?

Issue #2-lunch lines
At my old school there were about 1200 people, in 4 lunches. So its about 300 people per lunch, between 100-200 buy lunch everyday. With three lines it takes forever. In fact on worst days, you may have only 10 minutes left to eat everything (and socialize). What is the problem safety and overprotection (and avoiding lawsuits) or else something dangerous might happen. Correction it did: Food tampering The result slow, slow lunch lines; It is at the point where there is a teacher in the beginning of the line, saying if you can enter, so like 5 people can be in the line at a time. Its gotten better, but at one point, you had to ask the lunch lady to hand over the little dishes, that are right in front of you. All of this procession takes very long, unless you are lucky to get there very early. This can be impossible. Especially with middle school lunches being only 25 minutes, lunch lines need immediate rethinking. People deserve time when they can eat, and really talk. Not just stand in line forever, everyday.

Issue #3- Availability
Like I already said we have 4 lunches, and I had the unfortunate of being in the last one and perhaps that was the reason for Issue 1 (I haven't been in the other lunches). The school gets a set amount of food for the day, and they start setting it out, obviously some things are more popular then others. As a result by the last lunch they may be out of some things. Like I know there should be four sides, but all they have is pineapples. Usually it doesn't matter much, most things are of the same quality. And its Ok, that they set them out not accounting that people in latter lunches might want that thing. (You are following, or am I rambling?) They have to sell out, and I have no idea how they manage- I mean its cafeteria food! But there is one thing, that they always sell out off, but sometimes there isn't enough for last lunch: CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, which is the only good thing they have. And its unfair that just because I am in last lunch, I can't have a cookie. This they can fix easily, they don't even have to divide them evenly for the lunches, just set a tray or two aside. So the last lunch can have the for sure. With cookies being the only thing worth getting, they should take some effort to improve that. Most of you think this is overreacting by now...but chocolate chip cookies...they matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Issue #4 Portions
They are small. Chicken tenders, means 4 not very big pieces. While that may be enough for elementary school, by middle school and high school its not enough. Ok so they increased the meals a tad since elementary school, but not enough. As a result most people get a double deal, which costs more. So why not increase the price a bit, but make all portions bigger. And many times half the food sucks. Hence people get lots of snacks which brings me to the next point.

Issue #5- Healthy eh?
So meals are geared to be healthy, but do they really achieve it. Lets take a look.
Ok...so it might be healthier then your McDonalds, but still not too good. Did I mention it doesn't taste good? The hot dogs are always well to salty, the corn on the cob just gross. And while they are supposed to have fruits and vegetables, but usually its just canned fruit or this thing, but I have no clue what it is. Things teens wouldn't take, instead they take snacks. So the effort of a well-balanced meal goes to waste. And sadly I don't have a solution to get some 500 kids healthy food, but I am just saying- they need to give bigger attention to this issue, and not just the food.

By now some of you might ask, why don't I just bring lunch, why doesn't everyone.
Personally I am either too lazy to pack it or forget to do it in the evening or I keep forgetting to write down everything I need (I'll stop this is a personal rant), so it is my fault. But getting lunch from school is easier and for some people cheaper. Whatever the reason is, school don't give food enough focus.

And while they should try to make the meals healthy, it should still taste healthy. But also leave some of the old stuff, by High School people are old enough to start making their own decisions, or learn the consequences.

For fun, amusing and interesting things from other schools:
"Children in a New Zealand school have been banned from bringing cakes to share on their birthdays, due to new government healthy eating guidelines." -Source

In another school, you couldn't even bring junk food from home, if you got noticed you got detention-true story.

In another school "the new company is apparently cheaper, nicer, yet healthy. They work in other schools with positive feedback, where they do packs for people at lunchtime clubs(a big thing in our school), all fresh produce, local where possible, stuff like salads and sandwiches, but also hot paninis, pizza, and traditional main meals.

they also want to have regualr meetings with the council to see what we think, and receive any ideas or complaints we might have. They have all the healthiness covered by the manager who apparently was in the olympics some time, and knows all about a healthy diet."

Nice school huh?

SO what is it like where you are?
And what do you think teachers should do?