City officials are touting the reversal of major changes to cafeteria menus after children were found to be throwing away meals, but all schools will be offering favorites like French toast sticks, bean burritos, and Chicken dumplings aren’t coming back, The Post has learned.
The much-hyped change would only affect schools offering “food court menus” — about 50 schools that participated in the $50 million cafeteria enrichment experience program, the DOE said. a food inspector told the Post.
The supervisors said, “Chicken dumplings are served on the food court menu, but not all schools have access to the food court menu,” and “Chicken dumplings appeared on the regular menu from September to December last year.” I did,” he added.
Multiple educators in the five boroughs told the Post that their schools do not have access to “food court menus.”
“In fact, based on my school’s DOE menu, my children only eat cold sandwiches and salads,” the disgruntled official revealed.
When asked several times about the difference between a “regular menu” and a “food court menu,” as well as the number of schools that received limited menus, the DOE declined to explain.
They instead praised the agency’s efforts. The turnaround comes after criticism highlighted in a Post investigation in February following controversial menu changes.
“It’s clear that student voice is the foundation of this administration and that our schools are places where children want to eat healthy, delicious, and culturally inclusive meals,” the spokesperson said. said the person.
“In recent weeks, we have heard directly from young people and worked with the administration to make French toast sticks, beans and cheese burritos, and chicken dumplings our kids know and love.”
It remains unclear whether the French toast sticks and bean and cheese burritos will appear on the “regular menu” in the five boroughs, or just the “food court menu.”
Adams’ reversal was called “an affront to our children” by school board chair Rita Joseph.
“The children who rely on these meals are the ones who suffer the most,” she told the Post.
“If all of a sudden a food that kids like is taken away and no one has had that conversation, then all of a sudden it comes back and no one has had that conversation or this interaction is not good.
“Students in New York City need stability, especially when it comes to food. Some of them don’t already live in stable housing. They live in shelters. So imagine… Please, I don’t live in a stable home and now even lunch is unstable.”
Councilor Joseph said he would investigate whether the menu reversal would be rolled out to all city schools.
“If we’re going to turn things around, it should be across the board and not just some schools and not just others. That’s unfortunate,” she said. said.
“Having taught school for 20 years, this is very disconcerting to me.”
The bagel sticks, chicken drumsticks, guacamole, and cookies didn’t survive the menu change, and it doesn’t seem like they’ll be back anytime soon.
The reversal comes after city leaders gave vague answers about why the menu was changed in the first place.
Officials argued that the cuts were the result of a series of budget cuts that Hitzhorner ordered across city government, even though they were backfilled with federal funds.
But on Monday, City Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Jiha argued at a public hearing that the cuts were necessary because of the growing popularity of school meals.
“The city has invested a lot in school cafeterias. So now many children hang out in the cafeteria and eat more and more,” Jiha said.
“What, hello? Now, is it bad for kids to hang out in the cafeteria and eat more? School lunches don’t have to be terrible, and this response doesn’t cut the mustard.” State Education Commissioner John Liu, chairman of the association, said on social media.
The city has yet to confirm why the changes were made, why they were rescinded, or how they can afford to reinstate previously removed menu items.
State Sen. Iwen Chiu said her email inbox has been flooded with reports from parents and students about moldy and inedible meals since the February meal changes.
“The poor quality of school meals provided to our students is unacceptable. Students should not be provided with food options that are moldy, tasteless, slimy, and incomplete,” Sunset Park said. Chu, who represents districts including Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights, said in a statement.
“A poor diet can impair a child’s memory, concentration, motor skills, energy, and overall mood.
“Students facing food insecurity rely on free or reduced-price school meals that provide nutrition and protein. To save money, New York City has put young people on the chopping block and students They have no choice but to starve.”
