If this is anyone’s idea of a healthy lunch for anybody, they are totally ignorant.
Where is the protein in the form of beef, pork, chicken, fish? Are the microscopic bits in the pictures all there is-how are the kids supposed to develop muscles and brain cells? Where is the fresh fruit, as in a whole sliced apple, orange, pear, etc? Schools can’t buy stuff at produce markets?
What is with all the white, starchy, carb-loaded bread, rolls and even a flour tortilla? That crap is just empty carbs designed to fill up the kids because it is cheap-where is some rice, or some potatoes that are not instant and loaded with extra fat-I thought thunder thighs said the urchins were too fat? And how about some appetizing, fresh vegetables that are not overcooked, instead of heated, canned slop like that goulash looking stuff with the bits of corn in it? I’d starve if someone put that in front of me...
With all the taxes public schools steal from us, they can certainly afford to buy and serve something better than the cheap, meager stuff shown here-never mind it is as unhealthy as anything I’ve ever seen in any cafeteria when my kid was in school-and now I remember why I always packed her lunches, even though she was in private school-if this is what passes for lunch in public school, my kid would certainly be in private school, eating lunches brought from home...
The “goulash” stuff looks like Shepard’s Pie to me, which can actually be very good IF made properly (lots of rich gravy seasoned w/ Worch. sauce, real mashed potatoes browned on the top, and more veggies than just a handful of corn). But the portion shown there? it’s WAY too small if that’s for a high school student (esp. a guy)
From Jr. High on, I often remember getting 2 pizza slabs (Ellios?) or 2 Philly cheese steaks (with Cheez Whiz!!), plus 2 milks and 2 bags of Cheetos for lunch pretty much every day (and a roll of wild cherry Lifesavers from the vending machine) and I never gained an ounce! I didn’t top 100 pounds until my senior year. But yeah, as said up-thread, we were constantly active; jump-rope, swimming, playing kickball or tag or “Army” and as we got older we would make up dance routines or cheers.
My kiddo always loved the school lunches when she was in elementary school, and she mostly tolerated them in middle school. Now that she is in high school - she brings lunch from home every day, as do most of her friends.
She had a writing assignment for her honors English class a couple of weeks ago and had a heck of a time dealing with it because the “prompt” for it was the cafeteria staff in some school was going to change the lunch menu for a more healthy selection but it would mean removal of many favorite choices. The assignment was to persuade the principal why this was a good or bad (her choice) move on the part of the staff.
She wasn’t the only one with a problem with it because so few of them really care because they all bring their lunch.
That ghoulash crap looked like barf in a compartment with a cheap roll on the side. These lunches do not require a tray. A cheap paper plate would do.