As the 2024-2025 school year kicks into full swing, the RMHS Nutrition Department is utilizing state funding for school lunches to expand food options for students, hoping to come to a compromise with students between healthy eating options and foods they love to eat.
On January 1, 2023, the 4% Surtax on Taxable Income Over $1,000,000, otherwise known as the “Millionaires Tax,” was enacted in Massachusetts. According to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a significant portion of this revenue provides students in the public school system with permanent free school lunches, after the federal funding for free lunch during COVID-19 had ended. With two years of experience under their belt with this free lunch system, the RMHS Nutrition Department has become acquainted with the budget and is excited to try something new with it; they are switching to fresh, locally sourced foods and less overly processed foods. An interview with Director of School Nutrition Ms. Franzetti and Administrative Assistant Ms. Moccaldi revealed some of these changes, and their hopes for more student involvement in trying new things.
One of the major changes students have already noticed in the cafeteria is the absence of pizza as an option every day of the school week. Moccaldi noted how pizza will only be served on Mondays and Fridays this year. Tuesday through Thursday, students are encouraged to be more open minded and give the new main lunch meals a try if they were previously comfortable with having daily pizza. Some of these new options for days without pizza are grain bowls, burrito bowls, pasta bowls, subs and sandwiches at the deli bar, and new salads in the grab-and-go, such as the Big Mac Salad featured last week.
A new addition to the main lunch lineup will soon be haddock, which is sourced from Boston Harbor through Red’s Best Fish. Franzetti said, “It is local haddock. It will be once a month, and we will do a baked haddock and fish stick day.” Franzetti noted how these new options are an effort to turn lunches into more of a main entrée for RMHS students.
Touching on another example of a new main lunch option, Franzetti said, “We are trying to incorporate some more options, potentially Indian dishes, maybe a curry chicken bowl.” This shift to cuisines from different cultures aims to expand the palates of RMHS students, while pushing for healthier eating habits as well. However, Franzetti noted, “It’s hard to battle the chicken nugget and chicken sandwich.” She sincerely hopes that RMHS students will try the new options, as it is hard on the cafeteria staff when students choose pizza or premade options and ignore the main lunch option. Furthermore, Franzetti exposed the environmental harms of this situation, something that students rarely consider: “If everyone is just eating pizza every single day and they are not eating main lunch, then we have food waste.”
Students’ opinions on the new lunch options have been mostly positive, with a few critiques. Justin Raimo (‘25) said his favorites are the orange chicken and pasta options, such as chicken broccoli ziti. However, Raimo stated, “I’m all Taco-Tuesday’d out.” Instead, he is “looking for an all American food day, like some corn dogs, chicken fingers, and mozzarella sticks- like a Rocket Sampler.”
Maya Muscarella (‘25) suggested adding macaroni and cheese to make the menu even better. She stated, “I’d really like to see some mac and cheese since it’s my favorite food, and I haven’t seen it yet.” She speculated that the cafeteria has not done this yet because “They can’t get the protein in there, but I think they could do a mac and cheese and add chicken on top, and I’d be happy with that.” Muscarella also reminisced on her days in elementary school which featured main lunches such as popcorn chicken with mashed potatoes, and mentioned that seeing this again would be a full-circle moment for her as a current senior.
The fresh produce options now offered in the cafeteria, such as pre-cut melon, grapes, strawberries, carrots, and more have been well received. Muscarella noted, “I really enjoy the fresh produce at school…I think it’s a really good way to add something healthy to my meal.” Having easy access to fresh produce at school promotes healthy eating in students as it is more accessible as opposed to the effort needed to bring it from home.
As the school year progresses, RMHS students can expect to see other new lunch options enter the rotation in an effort to increase the diversity and healthiness of food at RMHS. In order to help meet those goals while also serving foods that students like, student input is always encouraged. As Franzetti puts it, “We are welcome to hearing any and all new ideas because you guys are the ones eating it— you guys are the ones we work for.”
