The controversies regarding school lunches vary from many different topics. Complaints of health violations and food regulations are a big concern within many schools and their communities. Thankfully for Loyola Academy, issues such as those mentioned are not reoccurring in the school’s cafeteria.
At Loyola Academy, the only thing mentioned about the lunches are the decadent, freshly baked cookies; sitting atop a pan heated from the lamp above, ready to be grabbed by a student on their way to the cash registers.
Although I could solely dedicate this review to the Loyola cookies, I would like to give some credit to the wide variety of meal options available at my school.
Being a student here, I like to give myself some credibility when I say I have tried almost everything – and I mean almost everything – at the Loyola Academy cafeteria.
From soups, to gourmet burgers, there is always something new to try during lunchtime. While meals such a stir fry and popcorn chicken are always a good “go-to” option, it can often be disappointing when the food looks dry or unappetizing that day.
Luckily, when the usual options aren’t looking good, there are always new meals to turn to. If the lines aren’t too long, I find myself in line for either a sandwich or some stir fry, knowing that the mass of people going to get their specific food item are leading me in the right direction.
At one point when all else fails, I can always settle on an easy burger to just grab and go without the hassle of a line. Recently in the school year, a gourmet burger station opened up with many students lined up, eager to try out this new item.
Unfortunately after trying it myself, I found it to be exactly like the regular burgers already served, only with the privilege of some lettuce and tomato slices sandwiched within the burger.
Despite the plethora of choices, a meal that I have always stayed loyal to is pasta. Although there are many different sauces and proteins to choose from, I always go with Alfredo sauce and a breadstick.
For a first month and a half of school, getting pasta seemed like my favorite option until I made a discovery. As I was eating and conversing with my friends, I looked down to see a short hair sitting on my pasta noodle. I checked to see if it could’ve come from me, and assuming it did, I carried on eating my lunch. Moments later, I found two more short hairs poking out beneath the sauce and decided that it had become a problem.
With this issue fresh in my mind, I brought it to the attention of one of the lunch ladies. She listened to my findings and after that discussion, whenever I got pasta I never found a hair in it again.
In spite of the fact that they taste great, the selections of food aren’t always the healthiest. I’ve noticed that the only healthy option available is the salad bar, and while I do see some students eating that as their lunch, I cannot give my input because I have not tried it myself.
Even if one chooses to bring their own lunch to school, there are snacks available to serve as accessories to one’s lunch. The options vary from fruits and vegetables to candy and chips. This allows students to make their own choices and even give themselves a treat after a long a schoolwork.
Overall, Loyola does a great job of supplying their students with an abundance of choices for everyday lunches. I appreciate the effort put in by staff to not only provide fast, but good quality food that students can enjoy.
