By Claire Burnett, The Current Co-Editor-in-Chief
Have you already forgotten your pin number that you need to buy lunch? Starting this school year, various changes are being made to the school-provided lunch in Howard County schools, one being that lunch is no longer free and now costs $3.30.
Over the course of the pandemic, the federal government provided funding for schools to be able to give all of their students free breakfast and lunch. However, this program recently ended, and schools across the nation are back to their pre-pandemic routine for meals. A notable change is that Howard County schools are back to using pin numbers for students to pay for lunch and snacks. Don’t worry, if you forgot your pin number, you can ask one of the cafeteria staff!
One forgotten component of lunch was brought back this year- snack! Some snacks and beverages are available to students for $1.00 or less. From apple cinnamon muffins, to Pillsbury Mini Cinnis, to Switch sparkling juice, students can have a wide range of refreshing pick-me-ups if they’re feeling hungry during lunch or are looking for a sweet treat. Freshman Ishani Sinha mentioned “I had the apple cinnamon muffin yesterday and it was amazing!” Freshman Roshwitha Buduri also remarked “the fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies are really good!”
Some lunches are familiar from last year, like the fan-favorite mozzarella sticks and chicken patty sandwich.When asked what her favorite school lunch was, junior Vera Smolyaninova added “I really like the chicken patty.” There are also lunches that haven’t been seen for a few years, like walking beef tacos and General Tso’s chicken. Also, instead of the prepackaged bags of fruits and vegetables, the salad bar is back with a variety of options like spinach, carrots, strawberries, and beans. Students now also have the option for either tater tots or french fries to go along with their entree. Ishani added “the lunches are better than middle school last year because there’s a lot more variety”
Students are having mixed feelings about these changes. Some students are enjoying the improvements to school lunches, while others are mourning the loss of free lunches for all. Junior Abigail McMahon commented “I think the lunches are definitely much better than last year.”
Overall, there were some significant changes made to the school lunches this year at River Hill. To find River Hill’s daily breakfast and lunch menus, you can access this website: https://hcpss.nutrislice.com/menu/river-hill.