It is a well known fact that food is the cardinal ingredient to success, especially in school. Our brains burn approximately 20% of our body’s daily calories. So what happens if you forget your lunch at home? Or perhaps you do not dally in the practice of making lunch at home? The answer is simple, one that has transcended public schools and survived the wrath of Michelle Obama. The infamous, and potentially just as delicious, school lunch. This is the first article of a prospectively long-lasting series dedicated to honestly and politely reviewing the Anne Arundel County Public school lunches.
We begin on Tuesday, September 10th, with a unique dish, penne alfredo, with a side of green beans and garlic bread. Each Anne Arundel County Public School meal comes with a myriad of choices for sides and a choice between strawberry, chocolate or regular milk. We went with the most basic and popular choice, craisins. Once our meal was assembled, we began our tasting.
We started the side dish, green beans. Right off the bat, the color was disconcerting. It lacked the triumphant and powerful deep green that is seen in most fresh vegetables. Instead, the green was plagued by a slight gray/beige hue. Kermit the Frog was more reflective of a toad. However, this meal is provided by a public school system that has other priorities, so we are gentle in our criticism of the product. Overall, the green beans get a score of 3.5/10, edible, but only in an apocalypse.
Next, we move onto the main course. The splendid aroma of the penne was quite appeasing. It smelled of cheesy, curdy, goodness. Curdy it was. Our first bite was nothing short of…distinctive. The temperature was less than ideal, with the meal being served at just below room temperature (not recommended by nutritionists or food critics). Once past the barrier of cold noodles, the inside was piping hot. Who doesn’t love some good balance? The flavor palette was very similar to Kraft Mac and Cheese noodles, not unpleasant, but most likely artificial as exemplified by the “Cheese Flavor” listed in the ingredients. Our final ranking of the penne was a solid 5.6/10.
Finally, we move to the garlic bread stick. A fan favorite throughout the county, the breadstick is a reminder of all things safe and processed. Upon first bite, the breadstick is the best thing we have eaten, but it still lacked the moisture desired from any baked good. Additionally, there was an absence of garlic flavor and butter within it. However, the breadstick still ranks highest, at a score of 6.3/10.
This meal, although not perfect, is nourishing and satisfying to the growing student bodies. Even though the green beans aren’t the best, we love the AACPS lunch staff and thank them for their hard work and dedication to keeping our tummies full. Thank you for tuning in to our review, and we can’t wait to eat more.
Andrew Merchant • Sep 18, 2024 at 10:05 pm
Could not stop laughing reading this article