Try It: Students Survey Food Choices in the New Year

By Kathya Anguiano | Photo Courtesy Lisa Yarost | Creative Commons License |

With the new year underway, many people this time of year look to their diets. Students eating in the cafeteria are no exception.

NEISD underwent an extreme lunch menu change about a year and a half ago due to the government wanting more nutritious meals for students. This caused a nation-wide change, allowing schools to have salad bars in their school cafeterias has helped students with a variety of dietary restrictions and preferences find items to eat.

“I have been Vegan for about a year now and all I’ve been eating [is] salad bar stuff and when I was only vegetarian I only ate the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from the snack bar,” Oriana Baltas, a junior, said.

For many students the salad bar is not enough, but others who have decided to take the route to being vegetarian and vegan make it work with what they have.

“I normally just get the normal entrees and ask for no meat or such and on days where I can’t have that option I grab the black bean burger from the snack bar or the vegetable pizza. I think we have a good amount but sometimes it does take struggle to find something to eat,”  Esli Silva, a sophomore, said.

Dietary restrictions aside, some students wish there were more offerings in general.

“I would like good french fries, add in a sandwich bar, just like the salad bar. It would be nice to have fast food on the menu like Chick-Fil-A or Wendy’s,” senior Taj Allen said.

Other students wish there were more things to eat at each meal.

“Lunch is not enough to fill me up, I think of it as more of a snack,” senior Wendell Borise said. “When I go in to punch in my number I feel like there is not enough on my tray.”

The student body has never been left without a meal during school hours, but some students choose to eat anything on the menu while others prefer to stick to their diets. Regardless, officials say, the offerings are there.

“I honestly think that students are getting more food, students are allowed to take two fruits and two vegetables plus their main entry depending on what line they go to,” cafeteria manager, MaryLou Garcia, said.

There are currently six lines students can choose from, including hot lunch and snack bar and salad items. While there is a lot of food now,  some students want to go back into the past and bring back some past items.

“I think they should bring back french toast and bagels and kolaches, the  weenies wrapped in dough and they should also add Toaster Strudels to the menu,” senior Alexus Wilson said.

Garcia says they are open to suggestions. Students with concerns may address them to the cafeteria manager, or comment below.