According to the National Center for Education Statistics there are 50.7 million students in school in the U.S. and an estimated 15 million of those are high school students suffering through school lunches. Thanks to the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, implemented in 2010, school lunches have been on the decline for many years making school lunches less greasy, less salty, and inevitably less tasty.

Lunch is the second most important meal of the day, but for most teenagers it’s the first meal they eat. While upperclassmen are able to avoid the cafeteria entirely, freshman get the short end of the stick because they are not allowed to leave for lunch. While their options are limited and even though pizza dippers are no longer a choice there are a few options as long as students choose wisely.

A personal favorite of Park’s student body is the spicy chicken sandwich, which gives an exciting alternative to the plain version. Avoid the regular chicken sandwich because of the soggy bun, wet patty, and bland flavor. If the grey colored chicken doesn’t turn you off, maybe this sandwich is for you. Another daily item from lunch menu is the cheeseburger. Like the regular chicken sandwich the bun is usually soggy, however, the burger actually has a good taste because the patty is topped with melted cheese. Despite the loss of the beloved pizza dippers the lunch menu gained a new item: chicken tenders. This is a safe option but there is usually a limited amount.

If school lunch still sounds unappetizing and leaving campus is out of the question then the only option is to brown bag it. Lunch is not only a time to eat but to make friends, study, and relax so enjoy it. Here’s some food for thought: why aren’t Park’s Culinary Arts student chefs involved in making school lunches?