Saluda Trail Wildcats returned to school in August to find changes in lunches. While the cafeteria staff says there’s more variety, this year, many students say they are unhappy with the changes.
Our new lunches in the cafeteria may seem like a small adjustment to many outside of the school, but could it be causing more issues like kids not focusing in class? Many students have stopped eating and possibly stopped learning as well. Could it be that what some may consider a small change in Saluda Trail’s students’ diet having a big effect on student’s learning?
On the first day of school, many students said were ready and excited to get their hands on a nice plate of nachos. While the students waited in the long line for nachos they noticed that these weren’t nachos at all, but instead saw corn dogs. Many students noticed that the bread had certainly changed on the corn dogs. It went from what considered “soggy and gross” to “hard and healthy.”
A seventh grader, Tristina Hicks said, “On the first day of school I was really excited to go get my nachos, but when I got in the line I realized that it was corn dogs, and it was healthy and that’s ok but I didn’t like it because the bread didn’t taste good. Since then I have been bringing my own lunch from home.”
Many students like Tristina said they have stopped eating school lunch because of the “healthy” additions to the bread and meals. While the students are struggling to tell themselves to get a lunch meal the lunch staff has different opinions.
Susan Austin, the STMS lunch manager, said “The old lunch company was outsourced by the new company because the government runs what lunches we use and the lunch companies we use. They tell us how much salt to use and how much sugar. The lunch staff and I have no control over what is made.”
Most students just agree that we should change our lunches back to nachos but apparently, there is more to be known. The new lunch company is called SFE and is a professional culinary company and tells our school district what to make and eat. SFE stands for Southwest Food Excellence and was chosen by the government because it had healthier variety and options.
Some students don’t agree with the health changes.
Madison Rhodes, a student at STMS, said, “Healthy is when you actually eat. Last year everyone ate school lunch whether it was nachos, pizza, or a sandwich. Healthy to me is when after the long school hours we have you stop and eat but this year no one is stopping and eating. So this is isn’t healthier.”
Not only have the lunches changed but so have the lines. The lunch lines have changed to where every line has the same food. Some students are not happy with this change, while others are actually ok with it.
Tristina Hicks said, “Actually that is one of the perks of the new lunches because instead of having to wait in the long nacho line so we’re not rushing to get into a line.”
So what do you think? Are the new lunches yay or nay?