School lunch has created controversy since the day of its inception. Depending on where you are in the world, the default meal provided to you by your school can be stellar or subpar. Based on a poll, the majority of Millbrook students seem to find the school provided lunch to be less than appetizing. It is easy to complain about the quality of our food– it is harder to propose a solution.

 After hearing the chatter of our students for months about the school lunch, I wanted to find out what the general opinion truly is on it. Based on ninety-two responses, 40.2% of students surveyed think that school lunch is bad. When I asked why, the answers varied, but it all boiled down to the quality of the food. Many users remarked that the poor texture, bland taste, and the repetitiveness of the menu items led to the dissatisfaction. “I don’t enjoy school lunch whatsoever. Somehow the pizza is crunchy and chewy at the same time, and it really shouldn’t be,” junior Emily Dearth said. On the other hand, only 4.3% of students polled said that school lunch is good. As for their reasoning, the four students that gave positive feedback mentioned the Little Caesar’s pizza that we have. The rest either had an indifferent standpoint or do not eat school lunch. The answers came easily when I asked why those polled felt the way they did. However, when I asked how the school lunch grievances can be solved, the students seemed stumped. Many students remarked that we should serve “actual” food, without elaborating on what classifies as actual food. Others said that there needs to be more variety on the menu and gave input on the lunch period itself. Extending the lunch period and cleaning up the cafeteria were some repeated suggestions. Vegan and vegetarian options were recommended, and some responses even called for fresh produce.

 While the general consensus was that school lunch is bad, the reasons given were incredibly diverse. The key to solving this issue is to look at what there is that the students liked, which is the catered food. The Little Caesar’s pizza is loved at Millbrook because it is a different and unique option on the menu in comparison to everything else. If we offer more catered options on the menu, students might feel that they have a wider variety of things they like to choose from, instead of recycled menu items every week. I also agree with the sentiment about adding vegan and vegetarian options. Adding these options makes everyone feel included in the effort to make a great school lunch. The main point that I saw being made is that the food is repetitive. Expanding the menu would solve this in no time.

 It is understandable why students feel the way they do about school lunches. However, it is also important to understand that this problem is solvable and that the way to solve it is by using your voice. Giving constructive criticism on taste and variety in our meals is what helps better them. I am glad the poll let students dish out their views on what goes on their plates– just make sure to never speak with your mouth full.