Food in cafeterias has been a controversial issue for decades and will probably continue to be with the current priorities of the DOE. One of the many problems with the food is it being too nutritious and being put to waste because of a child not eating it. Because it’s not “appetizing,” so the perfect change to happen in the school cafeteria is having more food options!
More food options can be slight and small such as deep-fried chicken or trying different seasonings to put on rice. All of those slight changes can benefit student preferences better and can be better fit/health wise.
Foods from different places can be another action that can positively satisfy student preferences and help kids to celebrate other cultures. Foods that come from places like South America, the Netherlands, or Germany.
A major priority that every school in the DOE should have is freshly grown fruits and vegetables. Schools should make fresh fruits and veggies, water, whole grains, and low-fat/fat-free dairy products front and center for students. Limit or eliminate unhealthy choices that interfere with nutrition education, send conflicting messages about what we value, and make it harder for kids to internalize healthy habits. At Brownsville Collaborative Middle School in Brooklyn NY, food is grown by hand and students eat better knowing where their food is coming from. The vegetables never stop coming because the crops are grown hydroponically — indoors, on floor-to-ceiling shelves that hold seedlings and plants sprouting from fiber plugs stuck in trays, each fed by nutrient-enriched water and lit by LED lamps. The students provide weekly produce for their cafeteria's salad bar and other dishes.
The school menu is alright as it is but has room for improvement, so the way to a better school starts by improving the school lunch and breakfast menu.