Reply #88

I graduated in 93 in a suburb 30 min east of SF.
The lunch ladies actually cooked nearly everything that was served including the sammich bread (we had to-order subs that were good even with gov'mint cheese)
The pizza bread was fresh, but the sauce was canned (it wasnt THAT big a kitchen) and they sold something called a zombie for breakfast - a ball of bread with cheese in it DELICIOUS on a cold morning.

I used to work in the lunchroom (mostly to stay out of trouble) so I know what they did.
There was also a salad -like bar.
The food was decent and healthy with tasty options.

The perfect example of how you can have a balance of taste and health. Of course not all schools had the kitchen we did, so we were lucky. My HS had more money because it ran several ROC programs including a radio station and Auto repair. in its hay-day it had a renown metal and wood shop as well as a (then) college level drafting program. That is if you took all 4 years of drafting, you got college credit at the local JC (which was also #5 in the country)

Point being that the people at MY HS cared enough to try, and the parents supported the school even now. A lot of districts may not have that level of home support that mine did.

anyway, from my experience in living abroad, and what my ex tells me about food there, I'd say those pictures aren't an exaggeration. HOWEVER... The American lunch IS meant to invoke a unfair reaction. But it's not that far off from what is made/sold today. They forgot to replace the milk with a can of pop BTW