Entering high school in 2023, I was uncertain about what to expect regarding the lunch experience. Last year, it was far from ideal. With no hot lunch options available, students were left to either bring their own food or choose from limited cold selections. The gym environment made lunchtime feel uncomfortable and rushed. However, this year the school introduced a brand-new lunchroom with hot meal options that have significantly improved the lunchtime experience. The school also made the cafeteria a more relaxed atmosphere to recharge before the next class. Despite these advancements, some drawbacks persist.
Before the new cafeteria, getting lunch was quick and easy. Although the lines were previously just as long, the lunches were simple to distribute, allowing students to reach their tables and enjoy lunchtime with minimal delay. This efficiency enabled students to spend the entire lunch period eating and conversing with friends. This year, despite having four lines for students to access, it takes considerable time for everyone to receive their lunch. The variety of meal options for school lunch contributes to the longer lines since it’s easier to access. Often, students spend a significant portion of their time waiting for meals, and depending on their position in line, this can take up more than half of the lunch period. The staff works diligently and swiftly to serve everyone, but there are simply too many students. While the added convenience of a hot lunch is always appreciated, one must question whether the slow pace is justified given the amount of food each student gets. This could be fixed by regularly gathering student feedback to get different opinions on what to do to improve the lunch system.
Many high school students, including myself, often skip breakfast because they already had breakfast, are not hungry at the time, or are in too much of a rush. There is also a big portion of students who will eat breakfast at school because it’s more convenient. But either way, by the time lunch arrives, students are ravenous. School lunches typically consist of a main entrée accompanied by various side options. The return of hot lunches is a welcome improvement, as they tend to be more filling than last year’s offerings—however, the portion sizes can still be inconsistent. Whenever I have school lunch, it never seems to be enough. While the meals are well-balanced, featuring a mix of vegetables and fruits, the quantities provided are still inadequate. The food portions may be sufficient to sustain us for the rest of the school day, but they do not constitute a complete meal. Just a glance at the shared tables or garbage cans reveals an abundance of uneaten fruits and vegetables, highlighting the significant amount of food waste, which is disappointing. In addition, the school should consider offering a wider variety of options for sides. They could do this by offering sides ranging from fruits, veggies, whole grains and protein, having students pick two of the three. This way students get more choices while still including fruit and veggies.
In conclusion, lunch this year is undoubtedly a nice comeback from last year. If I had to change things about lunch I would provide enough food to students and gather student voices to see what they think the school can do to improve the wait time in line.
