With the old stereotype of school food being just a step up from toxic waste, it is easy to think that there is no nutritional value in students’ lunches.

However, the cafeteria actually follows nutritional guidelines set by the county that require the food they serve to be healthy.

These guidelines are set in part by the National School Lunch Act.

They state that:

· The lunches provide at least a third of the daily recommendations of vitamins C and A, iron, calcium, and protein.

· Calories from fat have to be no more than 30 percent than the total calories and from saturated fat less than 10 percent of the total calories

Listed below are some of the items off the menu with their caloric and fat content.

These numbers fall within the Recommended Daily Intake of calories for teenage boys at around 3,000, and for girls around 2,200.

These numbers, of course, vary depending on activity.

For instance, one hour of running burns anywhere from 530 to 900 calories, depending on speed.

Some students may have noticed the trend of the cafeteria trying to become healthier.

Some upperclassmen will remember that a couple years ago Little Debbie snack cakes were readily available.

“We’re here to provide nutrition and quality,” said school chef Mr. Matt Aiken. “We’ve seen a lot more wheat and fiber this year, and we’re selling lower fat ice cream and cookies than before.”

In the Morgan Spurlock documentary Supersize Me, he investigates school lunches and reveals that some schools get all their food pre-made, and all the “cooks” have to do is heat up the pre-packaged food. However, this is not the case at this school.

While the menus are determined each August, most of the food is actually made from scratch, especially the bread, the Stromboli, and the lasagna.

“It’s good to know that they’re not just back there with giant microwaves heating up our food,” said senior Max Brouse.

This school is also a test school for food. which means whenever Prince William County Schools creates a new dish, OP students get the opportunity to try it first.

Based on the response the food gets from OP students, it is decided whether or not the item is deemed menu-worthy.

“It doesn’t bother me that we’re the guinea pigs for school food. Actually, I think that’s awesome. I love food,” said senior Zach Freed.

With all the changes that have been brought to the menu this year, one has to wonder what is held in store for the school next year.

A food show at Forest Park High School March 22 and 23 allowed some students to preview what is to come.

“I remember there were mozzarella pizza sticks,” said senior Jenny Gonzalez. “They were really weird, but also really good.”

One of the confirmed changes is that the school’s pizza will change from being home-made to being ready-made, making it the equivalent to a Tombstone pizza that could be found in stores.

“The county’s trying to reintroduce fish into the menu, and we’ve also seen spicy popcorn chicken for next year,” Mr. Aiken said.

Big changes or not, the school lunches have come a long way over the past several years, both with taste and in nutrition values.

With a system of standards, the school lunches provide students with nutrition that snacks from the vending machine simply can’t match.

“Since I don’t have time to pack [a lunch] in the morning, I buy lunch everyday. It’s good to know that they’re actually serving food, and not some kind of TV-dinner,” said sophomore Michelle Pecore.