Gabriella Lindade ’16
EE Contributor
There is a new plate in cafeterias across the United States and it is being served with a side of complaints.
Schools are trimming down the lunch carbs and bumping up the fruits and vegetables, but these new regulations are causing a stir among the students. These “improved” meals brought to our school last year should be nutrient-dense and balanced, but students frequently complain about the soggy scoops of vegetables and mystery meat.
With First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign taking initiative on the school’s meal standards, the trays of food served should ensure that students have the energy they need to learn in class and be physically active. They are also aimed at reducing risk for obesity, diabetes, and other serious chronic diseases among adolescents in the United States . But there is concern that these new regulations provide anything but healthier options. The new slimmed down choices do not provide enough nutrition or calories to growing students, especially those that do sports and spend long days at school without proper food. With our menu change last year students lost their favorite go to snacks, and frequently complain about going “hungry,” yet trays of food get thrown out everyday. So is it really that the new meal options do not contain enough nutrients or are students just not used to healthy foods?
Seniors have been there for every step of the school’s meal transition, and they have a lot to say about it.
Senior, Bruna Venicio, says that after all these new guidelines “there’s nothing good here,” and she is not the only one riled up about the school’s food. Comments can be heard throughout the commons about the disgusting whole wheat cookies and mushy apples. The student favorite, Friday pizza day, also saw a healthy upgrade and many say it is not for the better.
Bruna said, “I’m (unhappy) because, what if I don’t want whole wheat. I pay good money and I should get good pizza.”
Another complaint about the cafeteria changes have to do with the prices and the portions. Bruna, a hockey player for the school’s team, argued that the lean meats and small portions are not enough to give students, especially athletes, enough energy to conquer their day. Six mozzarella sticks or one slice of greasy pizza, and a scoop of mushy vegetables is not enough to hold students over. When asked if she is often hungry at school because of the amount served or the choices served, Bruna said, “all of the above.”
Compared to freshman year, before the guideline change, there were more options and bigger portions offered to students and staff. Venicio also mentioned that the healthier, create your own options like deli sandwiches, salads and wraps are outrageously expensive.
She asked, “Why are salads so much more…expensive than regular lunches, if they want us to eat healthy?”
Something asked by more than just one student. If the school lunch program, as well as the government, want students to live healthier lifestyles, by making better meal choices, then they need to be made more attainable to students. Some students make their own money, or only bring a certain amount each week to spend on food, so they will always pick the cheaper alternative for lunch, outlawing the salads and sandwiches loaded with vegetables and protein each time. All the plans for making more nutritious meals available in schools seems to have headed in the opposite direction. Instead of forcing students to eat unappealing, unappetizing, and unidentifiable, “healthy” meals, Bruna suggested a buffet style with fresher options containing foods that students are used to. She also said she would love to see a fruit buffet with loads of intriguing colorful fruits, as well as smoothies for students to choose from. In order for the “Let’s Move” campaign to make a positive effect, they need to listen to the students and make sure what is being served is food that students will enjoy, while still eating healthy.
Senior, Amanda Daigle, has not bought school lunch regularly since elementary school, and she could not agree more. She said having fresh fruits, vegetables and food would make lunches so much healthier and less revolting.
Amanda said, “I don’t buy their lunches because they’re unhealthy, unsanitary, and they just don’t look appealing.”
Daigle said that the changes to make the food more wholesome and nutritious has just made it worse. If she had any chance at buying lunch at school before the changes, there is no chance now.
“I want food that I know won’t kill me in 50 years,” says Daigle.
It seems that the problem with school lunches is not just that they’re forcing nutritious choices on us, but that the options, healthier or not, are not satisfying students.
There are two sides to every story, and the kitchen staff is in the middle of it all. They are the ones that take all the heat from the students for these new healthier meals, but they are just doing their job trying to provide students and staff with a wholesome meal while they are in school. The chef manager, Mr. Roger Pisacredo, said that he had “mixed feelings” on the new health guidelines. He feels that the school and lunch system is providing an adequate meal for students that might not get the same balanced meals at home.
Mr. Pisacredo said, “I just feel that the for the time and era that we’re in right now, with the food that’s out there, here at the school they’re getting what they should be getting.”
The lunch staff are the ones serving the food, and enforcing students to get the scoop of vegetables, or grab the extra apple or fruit cup, so they are also the first ones to see students reactions to these new lunch requirements.
Pisacredo said, “We definitely had a turnout of kids that said “Ugh, why do we have to take this?”, “Why so much fruit?”, “Why so many vegetables?”, especially with the whole grain. It is definitely a change in the system and a lot of the kids turn their nose upon that, but they have to get themselves acclimated…”
He compared it to a “culture shock” for students, and agreed that once students start seeing the options and trying them on a daily basis, they stop fusing as much and start taking them. So the healthier options that seem to be constantly pushed on to students, is really working to make grabbing grapes or celery and hummus second nature. Students may not be happy about the guidelines, but it seems that they are working to get students accustomed to eating healthier. Pisacredo also said that he believes the trays of food served are nutritionally balanced enough for athletes and students that spend long days at school. A basic lunch consists of five components: protein, grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables.
Mr. Pisacredo said that, “for the high school level, they’re decent size portions that can get a student through the day.”
The staff know that they are providing a meal that is appropriately balanced throughout the food groups, but students are not taking advantage of it.
Previous school meal standards developed 15 years ago and did not meet nutritional guidelines established by independent health and nutritional experts. So the First Lady’s campaign was initiated to empower a healthier generation and provide access to healthy, affordable foods in schools. Regardless of continuous efforts, students see trays of cafeteria food as revolting, even if they are healthier, and they are not eating enough of the right foods to give them energy for their day.
In an interview with Cooking Light, The First Lady said, “Change is hard for anybody. And when you’re talking about food, food is really personal.”
Perhaps the problem goes way beyond school walls and students are just not used to such a drastic changes in a healthier diet.