Is the school lunch in need of an update? Sara Cheung ‘28
School lunches are no doubt an essential and important part of student life, especially at a boarding school. Whether it’s about nutrition, taste, or variety, these traits significantly impact a student’s day and overall experience here at Loomis Chaffee. So, how well does the food served in the dining hall match up to these standards? Are we in dire need of a major overhaul, or is the system in place now working?
At Loomis, the dining hall offers many options designed to be nutritious and filling. In addition to the main menu, every day, the pasta bar is open, offering a rotating variety of sauces, grilled protein and vegetables. If a student is looking for something fresh or light, there is always the salad bar, with fresh vegetables and fruit. There is also the sandwich bar, where different types of bread, deli meats, and condiments are offered, and students can make their own hot sandwiches using a panini press.
Although the school generally provides a nutritious diet, it is ultimately up to the students to make healthy choices. However, the consistency of the food raises some concerns. One example of this issue is at the pasta bar. While it is seen as a staple for many, the quality of the pasta varies from day to day.
“The pasta bar is very inconsistent. Some days it’s perfectly cooked, but some days, it’s either undercooked or overcooked,” said Simone Magdo-Kreiger ‘28.
These small inconsistencies make it hard for students to rely on the dining hall and cause small frustrations when the food does not meet expectations, causing them to often choose less nutritious options.
In addition to this, the cultural diversity of the food served at Loomis could use some work. “I do feel like they need to diversify the meals a bit because usually a lot of the foods are just American foods, and they’re not very culturally diverse. When they do have foods from different countries, it’s usually not authentic and doesn’t taste very good,” said Victoria Cho ‘28.
As she explained, much of the food served is inspired by American cuisine, and on the rare occasion that culturally diverse dishes are served, they usually are not authentic. Due to this, many students end up turning to food delivery apps to eat different cuisines. The dining hall could benefit from the addition of global flavors, as not only would it increase variety, but it would also help create a more inclusive dining experience.
To conclude, while the dining hall at Loomis Chaffee generally provides nutritious and filling foods, there is still room for improvement in both the consistency and the diversity of the menu. Implementing small changes such as the improvement of food consistency and the addition of authentic international dishes in the dining hall could significantly enhance the overall quality of each meal served. Little changes in these areas would make a big positive impact, allowing students to look forward to diverse, nutritious, and consistently tasty dishes every day.