Meatloaf and gravy, orange beef and broccoli, beef pepper steak with mashed potatoes, and a salad bar. Wait, where did my chicken nuggets and curly fries go?

Starting this year, District 95 hired Southwest Foodservice Excellence (SFC) as the new school lunch provider after the contract was up for renewal with the District’s old provider, Sodexho.

“The contract with the former company was up for renewal, and as a district, we have to send these types of services out for bid. In doing so, Southwest Foodservice Excellence came back as the company that could best provide for the district,” Ryan Rubenstein, assistant principal for student activities and facilities, said.

With the new company came changes for both the school and students, including a change in prices. For example, the price of a school lunch is now $2.55, compared to last year’s price of $2.40. Also, water and fries are now not included with the lunch and are an extra $1.00.        

Students have to adjust to the new prices and policies, and not all agree with them.

“I think the new food isn’t as good as before, and the prices are higher, which is unfair to [the students],” Alex Verde, junior, said.

Also, foods that were available last year may not be available this year and/or have changed.

“There are fewer choices. There is no more hot chocolate in the morning, brownies, rice crispies, ice cream, or coffee,” Arianna Soheil, sophomore, said. “Some foods don’t taste the same either, and the fries don’t taste as good as they did last year.”

Carlos Ramirez, sophomore, who has been getting a hot lunch every day since sixth grade, is now bringing a lunch because he does not like how the food tastes anymore.

“I tried the pizza and cheeseburgers, and they are both whole wheat,” Ramirez said. “Usually, when you go to a restaurant you’re not going to find a whole wheat pizza or burger. It’s like they’re giving us this material that we’re suppose to eat.”

With the old options gone, however, there are new choices such as the salad bar with fruits and vegetables, new menu selections like the chicken fajitas, and different beverages like low-calorie Gatorade.

“It is my hope that the transition for the students will be seamless,” Rubenstein said. “There are obviously going to be some changes, but hopefully they are changes which benefit the students and staff.”

This is true for Soheil who expressed her acceptance to the new food.

“With this new menu, the junk food we had last year is now substituted with healthier foods like fruits and vegetables, which is obviously better for us,” Soheil said. “I like the new food because it’s healthier and better, but I don’t because a lot of what I enjoyed for lunch is gone now.”

According to their website, SFC’s goal is to enhance the students’ learning experience by creating healthy eating habits through nutrition education and interactive experiences, and to show they are committed to revolutionizing how students are nourished.

“I think that the school is trying to make us eat better and healthier, but the food isn’t appealing to us,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez isn’t the only one unhappy with the changes, as Verde expressed himself via a Facebook page to show his dislikes of the lunch changes.

Despite the apparent health factor, not all of the students agree with SFC’s lunch menu and food.  For example, Verde expressed himself via a Facebook page to show his dislikes of the lunch changes.

“The students should have a choice of what they’re eating, and we needed something to congregate around because there was so many of us opposed to the new food,” Verde explained.

The Facebook group is called Bring back the old food, this new healthy stuff [stinks]. In this group, students are able to share their opinions about the new food provider, either positively or negatively.

“I’m hoping the Facebook page will show the school that a large amount of students don’t like the food and want a change,” Verde said.

Verde deleted the Facebook page he made, however, not because he changed his views on the new food, but because the page was becoming too popular and filling up his news feed.

Although students are adjusting to the new food, they don’t have to adjust to a change in staff.

“It was my understanding that everyone that wanted to still work with the new company was offered a position,” Rubenstein said.

According to the lunch staff, the new company has a year to prove to the administration and to the students that it is a better food provider for the district, but if SFC does not meet their expectations, there is a possibility for a different company to provide for the district instead.