On April 2, the Manitou Springs High School Prospector posted an article reviewing the small portions of the school lunches. Since this article has been published, students feel there has been a drastic change in not only the portions but the quality of the food as well. 

According to the National School Lunch Program Meal Pattern all meals must include at least ½ cup of fruit and/or vegetable, and at least 80% of the grains offered per week must be whole grain-rich products that conform to FNS guidance in the Whole Grain Resource.

The National School Lunch Program Meal Pattern also states that grades nine through twelve should be receiving 750-850 calories per meal.

Madison Clinage(10) believes that the school has improved on a few things in the lunches but could do better. “I feel like the food is better, but I still think there’s a quantity issue,” Clinage said. 

Clinage believes that having more options for students would make lunches better. “I feel like having more options without meat, or with different dietary preferences and restrictions would be great,” she said. 

She likes having two people helping serve lunch because she thinks it has been beneficial. “I feel like having two people is more efficient,” Clinage said. 

Similar to The Prospector’s last lunch story, Clinage agrees that there should still be a change in meal size, but she does believe that the quality has been better in the last few months. “They should have large enough meals to feed people,” she said. “I don’t feel satisfied after a school lunch.”

In a continued effort to make sure kids are getting what they need and want, MSHS also provides “Celebration Treats”  that parents can purchase for a cheaper price on the school website. This is something that can be helpful for lower income families. 

Miguel Figueroa who is a sophomore at MSHS feels that the lunch at the school is fulfilling. “I’m not hungry after the school lunches, but I’m a little thirsty, ” he said. “I feel like they could give you some more options for drinks.”

He feels that there is a change in quality of food that the students receive daily. “Sometimes we’ll get high quality food,” Figueroa said, “and the next day it is low quality food.”

According to Figueroa, even with some quality issues, he feels that school lunches are okay the way they are. “I like how everything is right now,” he said. “I don’t really think they need to change anything about it.”

According to Teresa Leets, who is a part of MSHS’s food service staff, based on Colorado’s regulations and laws on school lunches, they are doing a good job following the rules. “We still have to meet federal and state guidelines, and the recipes have to come from them,” Leets said. “Sometimes it’s hard to get our orders in because of supply and demand.”

The lunch staff wants to encourage more kids to eat school lunches and breakfast. “The more children we can get to eat right now with free meals, the more our accounts go up; and we get more money for the school district,” Leets said.

With students feeling like sometimes they don’t get enough food, the district still has laws restricting the portions. “We have to use certain scoops, two ounces, three ounces, and we just put that on the plate,” Leets said. 

On top of trying to make the meal more appealing they have also switched to more ecofriendly packaging. “I feel like going green is probably the best way to go for everything,” Leets said. “We’ve changed things around to make it more economical and not have so much paper waste.”

Claire Walz(10) feels that there has been an increase in the quantity of food, and enjoys the way it is being served now. “They’ve been  passing it out instead of you grabbing it, and I feel like that makes it look like there’s more food on the plate.”

Walz ultimately feels satisfied after having a school lunch. “I usually get enough and it makes me feel good,” she said.