With the start of L.A.U.S.D.’s 2012-2013 school year marks the anniversary of its infamous switch to healthy school food, a misguided decision that has left thousands of L.A. kids without an appetite.
Last year, the Los Angeles Unified School District announced that it would begin serving healthy, “exotic” food in its cafeterias, in order to combat the rising obesity epidemic. Foods like beef jambalaya and vegetable curry would be replacing the greasy, unhealthy pizzas and hamburgers that had dominated its cafeterias.
The new program was greeted with much enthusiasm by parents and students throughout the district… until the food arrived on their plates.
“It’s unbelievably unappetizing when you receive something that resembles lumpy gravy,” says Joseph Choi, a sophomore at L.A.C.E.S., as he describes the cafeteria stew. “I feel offended and angered that this is all we are offered to eat. Sometimes I just throw the food away and starve the rest of the day out.”
Recent L.A.U.S.D. statistics indicate that the level of cafeteria food sold has been dropping steadily since the introduction of the new food.
Many young entrepreneurs in L.A. high schools have found a new niche: selling junk food like ramen to the hungry students. These “glucose dealers” risk suspension or further disciplinary action by the school’s administrators as they sell to their hungry classmates.
“It’s quite profitable,” says an anonymous student from Venice High School. “I can always count on selling out, but there’s always the risk of getting caught [by the administrators].”
However profitable it may be for the students, L.A.U.S.D. loses money, and clients, on every meal not sold.
“The problem is really simple,” says Sharon Yi, a recent graduate from L.A.U.S.D., “Kids want to be healthy, but they also want food that’s familiar and appetizing. The [new] cafeteria food is not popular because it fails to appeal to students who have not and don’t want to be exposed to exotic food.” Yi further explains that the new menu may also alienate students of cultural backgrounds who are not used to L.A.U.S.D.’s “zombie” menu: food with mismatched ingredients meant to cut costs and comprise a healthier meal.
It is unsure whether or not L.A.U.S.D. will abandon its sinking cafeteria policy. The ideal solution would be to find the right balance of healthy, tasty food. There are plenty of “familiar” options that are nutritious, such as salads or lean meats. Also, “exotic” foods, due to the complexity behind engineering a taste that is “Americanized”, but not too freakish, should be avoided. That way, expensive ingredients such as curry powder are no longer needed.
However, at the end of the day, it all comes down to the financials. A healthy, proper meal for our kids, no matter how thrifty, costs money to make… money our school system doesn’t quite have yet.
