The Edison Intermediate School (EIS) school cafeteria is filled with daily noise from periods five to seven. Lunch at school is a time for students to socialize. Also, it is for students to fill themselves with delectable and energizing foods allowing them to pursue the last periods of the day energetically. Many students purchase school lunches during the week. The current school cafeteria offers hot foods, chips, cookies, and gummies, which many students gravitate towards. Sprinkled in are sandwiches, salads, yogurt, and pretzels with hummus. Although the school continues to introduce new foods, students still feel there is a lack of options. Eighth grader Sydney Elmquist said, “[I am] not satisfied with the lunch options. There needs to be more options.”
Not only are students wanting more variety, but there is also a demand for more fresh foods. Gabriella Moriarty, a sixth grader at EIS said, “I don’t like hot foods, [I would like] more fresh foods.”
Some of the fresh foods at EIS consist of salads, sandwiches, and yogurt. However, there is only one salad option in the cafeteria: a chicken Caesar salad. In this salad, there is lettuce, a pack of Kraft dressing, and lastly chicken. Students have shared their distaste for this chicken. Eighth grade student Lily Hanzley at EIS stated, “It’s a little rubbery. It’s not awful but could be improved.”
Clearly, the limited amount of fresh foods is not satisfying the needs of our students.
EIS seventh grader Evan Wong stated, “The food is not
fresh, and there need to be more choices.”
Because students are expressing their desire for fresh foods, it is time for EIS to move away from so many hot foods and instead focus more on cold, fresh foods. While some say the hot foods at EIS are good, students could have a wider range of food selections if more cold foods were served.
EIS may stay away from the more natural and fresh foods because of affordability. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), “Vegetables and fruits, which are low in calories, tend to be a relatively expensive way to purchase food energy.”
We understand that EIS needs to strategically use its budget to better the school as a whole, but students are willing to pay an additional cost for healthier foods. Ben Stadlin, an eighth grader at EIS stated, “I don’t think the options are healthy. The school should have more options with natural proteins. I would rather pay more for healthier options. I would pay more so the school can afford the healthier options.”
EIS does not need to implement exotic foods in order to meet the needs of the students. Foods such as bagels and Uncrustables would be an easy and effective way to fulfill students’ needs. Mrs. LaNova Schall, principal of EIS said, “I would absolutely be open to discussing more cold food options with food services. Everyone deserves to have variety in their food options.”
Because Mrs. Schall is willing to speak with the food services about serving more cold options, students who want fresh food will not only have to depend on the one Caesar salad or turkey sub. When walking into the cafeteria, fresh foods won’t be restricted to the two or three refrigerated sections. Students could expand their food pallet with fresh foods, and not feel obligated to buy tater tots or pizza when getting school lunches.
All in all, school cafeterias, including the one at EIS, depend on pizza, fries, and other easy, safe options. There’s a growing demand for more options that are healthier and better tasting. EIS needs to offer a wider selection of foods like salads, wraps, and bagels. By focusing on fresher ingredients, our school lunches can be both delicious and nutritious. The goal is to show students that healthy food can taste just as good as processed unhealthy,toxic food. To do this though, EIS needs to provide more options of fresh and healthier foods so students can choose the better option without hesitation.
