|
Monday, February 11, 2013 By Stephanie Sheridan
Having bought his lunch, Salim Moosayar (12) held it on his way to the lunch table. The meal features milk as its beverage. “I don’t really like milk, but it’s all they had,” Moosayar said. - Stephanie Sheridan
Advertising
Water bottles are no longer offered with school lunches in the American High School cafeteria. Instead, beverage choices include milk (chocolate or regular) and, occasionally, juice.
The decision to discontinue water bottle availability was made by FUSD Director of Child Nutrition, Elsie Szeto.
“The decision was made because water has no nutritional value,” cafeteria supervisor Karen Hauzer said.
The change has upset multiple student lunch buyers for a variety of reasons.
“A lot of people are mad about it,” senior Lissette Torres said. “Who wants to drink milk with their pizza? I sure don’t!”
Other students are angry not only about the uncomplimentary taste of the available beverages with school lunches, but with their dietary limitations.
“What options are there for people who are lactose intolerant?” Jesenia Cortes (12) said. “Juice isn’t always available, and even when it is, what will diabetics drink?”
Despite water bottles being unavailable with school-bought lunches, students can purchase them separately à la carte or from the vending machines for one dollar. Water is also available at the water fountains located around campus, although not all students appreciate this option.
“Those water fountains are gross,” Cortes said. “Also, our school doesn’t have very many of them, and half of them usually aren’t working properly.”
Now that water bottles are no longer offered with school lunches, students must now either bring them from home, spend extra money buying them, drink from water fountains, or simply deal with dehydration-- an inevitable effect of not drinking water.
|