When I look at pictures like this one, it always amazes me that they thought this was better than where they came from.
“locally sourced foods”
Back in the 60’s, we use to get locally shot venison, donated to the school by hunters who didn’t need all the meat.
When government is put in charge of anything, that thing becomes a bland and authoritarian, “one size is best and fits all” mere shadow of the field-extant Real Thing.
Witness the incredibly uninteresting and visually repulsive school lunches Chewbaca forced on everyone.
Lord, thank God she’s gone. Let’s just hope she stays gone.
I still remember my old Catholic school in a working-class Italian-American district. There I was with my horrible organic peanut butter sandwich (my mother was a healthnut) and all around me were huge hero sandwiches dripping olive oil and stuffed with provolone and wonderful salimis, hams, and various other cuts of meat. No one ever traded with me.
Are they bringing back this big, round peanut-butter cookies? I loved those.
It seems to me that the supposed rejection of ethnic foods was rooted more in jealousy than rejection of other cultures. While the ethnic American kids (presumably those of Anglo derivation) are being served gag-worthy meatloaf, those kids with immigrant mothers get to eat tasty, interesting foods like pork buns or calzones. What kid served boring, yucky meatloaf wouldn't be jealous? And we all know that jealousy can lead to very bad behavior by those who were never taught that envy is a sin.
I can't help but notice the author's thesis interwoven into the discussion of ethnic foods. American=bland and boring. Immigrant=interesting and vibrant. She seems to be pushing the narrative that we should allow just anyone into the country, albeit disguised as a foodie article.
And for the record, I was subjected to bland, boring food through the school lunch program. What amazed me was that, as bad as the food was, there were parents who actually paid for their kids to have lunch tickets. Unbelievable.
Thank goodness Michelle Obama fixed the skool lunch problem. /s
In my school years, 1952-1964, all the school cafeteria lunches were GREAT! All except 1956 AZTEC NEW MEXICO.
Those lunches were so bad many of us kids threw them back up on the plate. I asked mom to send me a sack lunch.
All other lunches in New Mexico and elsewhere were great!
I work at a relatively small suburban high school in Western Pennsylvania and our cafeteria is to die for, for both employees and students. It’s set up like a food court, with different stations available every day. These are the stations:
Taco bar
Salad bar
At least three varieties of pizza
Depending on the day, burger, chicken sandwich or chicken strips w/fries
Hot entree of the day, with everything from sesame chicken over rice, Philly Cheesesteak, Italian sausage, pasta dishes with meat, marinara or Alfredo sauce, fish, meatloaf, turkey and gravy, always with sides and hot veggie choices.
Fresh and canned fruits
A cooler with “grab and go” cold sandwiches, pre-made salads, and yogurt.
The condiment bar has the basics plus things like sriracha, lemon pepper, garlic parmesan, etc.
It costs the students $2.15 for full price, and as an adult for $3.25 I can assemble a meal that would cost $12-15 at a restaurant.
My “School lunch” came in a brown paper bag - a PB&J sandwich made with (at least) day old bread and a bag of Fritos - because they were at the time, the lowest cost small bag chip.
Sometimes, I would get an orange, in season.
I also rode a bicycle (HORRORS!!) without a helmet...
I’m still kicking.
Anything other than traditional American customs or habits or ideas or institutions is “good”
I took in head cheese sandwiches on white bread most of the time, or bologna.