Chatter erupts throughout the all-purpose room as fifth-graders students talk between bites of their school lunches. All fifth graders were offered a survey about school lunches on a Google Form. A total of 74 students participated in the survey. Sixty-five percent of those students believe that the school lunch is “okay or good”. Fifth grader Ayden Ellis was one of those students. He said he sometimes likes the school lunch, but other times he does not.
“My favorite lunch was the waffles. I always love breakfast,” Ellis said. “If I could change something I would want to add back Gatorade because I loved the Gatorade they had. I love the Ruffles and the other snacks they have.”
Damiano Dillow, a fifth grader who orders lunch, agrees that the snacks are good.
“My favorite part about school lunches is that you have good snacks to come with them,” Dillow said.
Snack items vary in price from $1.00 to $2.25 and include cookies, chips, or yogurt parfaits.
“The reason that is the best part of lunch is that the lunches are not that good, and the snacks make them so much better,” Dillow continued.
Dillow specifically does not like the taste or consistency of the mashed potatoes that sometimes come as a side. Sophia Earle, another fifth grader, said she dislikes some of the meats that come in the school lunch for the same reasons, but she does like the different menu options.
“My favorite part about our school lunches is the variety of food everyday. There is always something new, and we don’t have the same lunch everyday,” Earle said.
Some lunch choices in a typical week may include mac and cheese with a dinner roll and broccoli, mozzarella sticks with carrots and celery, and pizza crunchers with waffle fries. Student lunches are $4.25 each. Every day there is an option for a bagel and cream cheese or a sandwich such as ham and cheese or turkey and cheese. All lunches include milk, juice and a fruit or vegetable.
“My favorite part about our school lunches are the drinks. I really enjoy the Switches and the Snapples a lot,” Miranda Gray said.
Pomptonian School Service provides lunches in the Emerson Public School district. They are a company based in Fairfield, New Jersey.
