Well Andrake, if you refer to my post back in the "school's toilet paper" thread, you will find that:
The public schools are federally funded. This means that when the schools make contracts for companies to sell products given to them, they have to accept the ones with the lowest bid sold. This can apply to textbooks, toilet paper, and even lunches. So for my case, the fried foods cooked are edible and the pizzas are cardboard with a side dish of a river of grease. They have no equal in terms of calories, yet they taste horrible.
So yeah, I eat the fried foods at school and bring snacks from home. It works
Our school charges more for food, but they buy their own stuff so they don't have to use the federal funding... is it just me or is this whole let me complain about my school becoming a new trend?
My school has decent food, and most of it is of a healthier variety. The chicken wraps are good and the fresh cut fries. I think we have a contract with a food supplier though.
Mah school has good lunches for the most part. The country fried steak, giant taquito tacos, pizza, breaded spicy chicken sandwich, turkey and gravy, and pasta aren't too bad. On the other hand, the grilled chicken sandwich is something a stray dog would turn his nose up at.
Some school food is really crappy. But schools have a budget. State funding makes up the majority of school funds in the US, and almost all states have been cutting education funds. So usually basic supplies goes first (the school I student taught at ran out of paper and staples), then cafeteria food is downgraded, then teachers are let go. In this time of economic downturn, don't expect any satisfying meals.
Our school has the 'chuck wagon'. They take all this different meat and 'chuck' it in the processor and stack it together into one patty and put it on a bun. YAY CHUCK WAGON! But no, it's naaasty...
Okay, the milk isnt even milk, they sucked all of the fat and practically replaced it with chocolate tasting water. Last year, we found a mole from the lunch lady in our pizza!
Luckily I learned about this in History the other day.
During and after the Great Depression farmers were struggling more than the rest of the country. The federal government stepped in and bought all the farmers surplus produce to either ship to other countries or use for school lunches. If a school can't afford to pay for its food (like mine) the government provides it for them; as a side note school food is the same quality as pet food.
My school serves the same overpriced food everyday. So I just go to the grocery store with a bunch of friends. We can all pitch in and buy a chicken and a loaf of bread. Much cheaper and tastier.
But if you aren't in highschool, or don't know someone with a car, you're out of luck. When I did have to eat school lunch (becuase I was too lazy to make my own), I remember it being quite disgusting.
Here is suggestion I have always thought would improve school lunches: a pasta/rice bar.
Pasta is cheap, filling, and easy to make. Basically, the school would just boil a bunch of plain pasta (and/or rice), and set it on a table with some cheese, pesto, tomato sauce, whatever. Students could fill up a bowl of pasta and put whatever toppings they wanted on it. Schools could charge by weight, or just have different sized bowls.
as a side note school food is the same quality as pet food.
So THAT'S why every time I come home to good food I wag my vestigial tail... Oh erm never mind me..
My school charges food by scoop, if it can be charged that way. Chili for instance. They make good chili, but every scoop of it (big ladle) charges $1.50 extra. Together, a (considered to be) full meal costs $2.20 at my school. How much does it cost for yours?
