Emily Sonni eyed the mushy green substance on her plate. The vegetable tasted salty, she said, and the texture was “not pleasing.”
The Matanzas High School senior bypassed the baked zucchini during a recent lunch period, and she wasn’t alone.
Forget mystery meat. Students are discovering mystery vegetables in their lunch line now, and they can’t check out without loading up on them because of increasingly strict federal rules that tell cafeteria workers what they must serve — and what’s forbidden.
“I think it all goes in the garbage,” Emily said about the produce that lands on her and her classmates’ trays at the Palm Coast school.
The 17-year-old wasn’t wild about the rest of her lunch, which included breaded chicken pieces and fries, saying she missed the school’s former sub line, which allowed students to build their own sandwiches with a variety of meats, cheese and vegetables. The school still sells sandwiches and wraps, but they’re pre-made for the students, which allows cafeteria workers to ensure that every meal meets federal requirements.
