Ok we must first say that we had an absolute blast talking to students and taste testing the lunches of one Texas high school. Granted we can be considered foodies here at VEDA Magazine and we will try just about anything as long as it looks and tastes good and that includes the school lunches that are provided to the teenagers of this specific Texas high school. For all of the “old people” and parents that are reading this article – we think that you will find this article eye opening. With that said, these aren’t the same lunch selections of the past when we were growing up – oh no. This is something that is totally different.
Now as with anything in life there are pros and cons to be acknowledged and the same rules apply to the lunch selection put forth by the Texas School Lunch Program. The first thing parents should know is that the Texas School Lunch Program is a federally regulated program spearheaded by the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) that has specific guidelines that are put in place to ensure that the children of Texas and other states are getting the proper amounts of nutrition in the lunches provided by each school. Currently to date the National School Lunch Program feeds more than 3 million students each day.
Therefore, the school lunches provided at your child’s school must have a certain balanced percentage of carbs, proteins, lipids (fats), starches, vitamins and minerals, and water for each and every meal that they offer and serve. When we went to one Texas high school which will remain nameless, we discovered that the meals were in step with the mandates of both the federal and the state guidelines. But what we didn’t find was a good enough selection of fresh fruits and vegetables that could rightfully compete with the other “Fun Foods” for lack of better terms.
When we say “Fun Foods” we’re talking about burgers, pizza, and nachos. Now there is something to be said about Fun Foods. The hamburger buns and pizza dough were made of wheat. That’s a healthy alternative to white bread and the standard dough used to make pizza. By the way, in this particular school, the pizza was made by Domino’s Pizza (as a point of reference, we did not have name brand pizza in our lunchrooms when we were growing up – we had square/rectangle pizza).
Another fun food was at the nacho counter. When we tried the nachos, they were great – just as nachos should be. However, the students decided to inform us otherwise. Protein toppings of chicken, beef and pork were available as well as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro; again, it was a good selection. Who could be upset at what the State of Texas is serving for lunch. None-the-less, the students informed us that they were tired of eating the same things every day. We were stunned that the students had to choose from the same selection of foods every day. Again, the food wasn’t bad – but we can all agree that no one wants to eat the same thing every day.
Upon speaking with the kitchen staff, they most definitely informed us that they currently have no control over what the state mandate for their high school meal selection can be; and that they are bound to honor and serve exactly what the State of Texas says the students should have. We are happy to report that the lunch staff did their jobs very well. But where does that leave the students as far as food choices and selections? And as far as lack of “fresh foods” go; could it be that the reason it's not placed on the menu is because most students don’t eat fresh foods at home? If that is the case, then why should the State of Texas place foods on their menu that are going to end up being in the trash anyway?
The argument can be made that if fresh foods are not placed in front of the child for them to at least try to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables, then how will they know what they like. But the argument that can be made in reference to that is: “that’s the parents’ job to properly introduce their child to fresh and healthy foods, not the school – as the public school system has enough problems as is.
This is for you as a parent to decide, as this is literally food for thought.
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