Desperate to improve the nutritional value of the school lunches, Steinbrenner and other schools alike have resorted to utilizing healthier ingredients and less fattening options in their daily lunch routine.
This year alone, the school has made an addition to the menu with its incorporation of a salad bar that has quickly gained popularity, becoming a favorite among students searching for healthy alternatives.
“We dice, slice and prepare our salads now that we have a salad bar. We prepare all of it in the morning so that everyday we’re serving it up fresh for students to eat,” said Madeline Boulos.
Students are given the opportunity to choose what goes into their salad as well as the dressing by grabbing a order form at the front of the cafeteria. The form contains various categories of salad toppings.
She also explained that hardly any of the food served is frozen prior to preparation, which accounts for less harmful preservatives. According to Boulos, this is a much healthier alternative given that many of the preservatives present in frozen foods have been linked to potentially causing cancer and damage to organs. These substances can possibly be present in embalming fluid as well as some cake mixes, potato chips, chewing gum and pork products, according to The Center for Science of Public Interest.
Boulo discussed how, by presenting healthier options for students at lunch, it decreases the possibility for these problems to arise.
“The lunch is much healthier now, opposed to what we used to do before. We’re actually combining our foods in such a way to create healthier choices where it’s geared so that students can pick better foods for themselves,” said Boulos.
The school will also be adding a smoothie bar sometime in the near future that will enable students to indulge in their own customized smoothies, very similar to the way the salad bar operates.
“I definitely look forward to having smoothies available at lunch,” said sophomore Kelsy Holbert.
Looking towards the cafeteria’s future endeavors to provide healthier school lunches to its diverse group of students, only time will tell what other potential, nutritious alternatives may lie ahead.
Hannah Crosby / Senior Staff Writer
i’m hungry!!!!!!!!!!!