As hungry students and faculty flood the hallways and cafeteria, the smell of prepared meals fills the air. Past the clatter of trays and chatter of friends, a deeper conversation is unfolding about what is really on the menu. Some students grab their usual favorites pizza, fries, and burgers, others are starting to question whether the meals being served are as healthy as they should be. It is difficult to feed hundreds of students.
The process begins with the cafeteria manager Nancy Gesenhues sending an order to one of these companies, Sysco, Performance, and Creation Gardens. They then send meals and ingredients that are prepared and served in the cafeteria.
Meg Gallagher (9) is on the varsity women’s wrestling team, and as a wrestler Gallagher has to follow a strict diet, having to cut and gain weight frequently in order to compete in a certain class.
“There’s a lot of room for improvement. I’d rather eat healthy food than starve myself to cut weight for wrestling,” Gallagher said.
Rhonda Wassom, the Highlands High School’s nurse, gives credit to the cafeteria staff for providing some healthy options such as salad, fruits, and vegetables.
However, those things alone are not a meal, and Wassom believes nutritious meals should be an addition to the cafeteria menu. “Most meals don’t follow the food pyramid,” Wassom said.
She explains how poor dietary choices can have some potentially serious impacts on health. “About 70-80% of your physical and mental health stems from your diet.”
However, Nancy Gesenhues the cafeteria manager, who is responsible for planning and executing the meals defends the cafeteria menu. “We offer all the food groups required and the serving sizes required.”
On the other side, she also explained that it can be difficult to convince the students to eat healthier options. “Getting the students to eat it is a challenge,” Gesenhues said.
Despite her attempts to provide a variety of choices like fresh fruits and vegetables, she has a hard time shifting students away from their favorite, less nutritious meals.
“If we improved how it’s made and how much is processed in it I would be able to enjoy the food more,” Gallagher said.
The cafeteria food shows the need for better nutritional standards. Students and athletes such as Gallagher want healthier options. Even with efforts from Gessenhues to give balanced meals, convincing students to choose them remains a challenge. Prioritizing quality over convenience is needed for healthier eating habits that benefit students’ overall health.
