Starting this year the Novato Unified School District (NUSD) and Food and Nutritional Services (FANS) has upgraded the lunch menu. Free lunches were available to all students due to Covid, and many things are going back to how they were before Covid.
In 2021, FANS announced they were going to give all students free lunch, and this year they expanded their changes with four lunches to choose from, as well as a daily special. These four items consist of cheeseburgers, breaded chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, and a cheese or pepperoni pizza. To let students know about the new menu options the lunch ladies provided a chalkboard that show students the options they have available. Due to these changes more students, like sophomore Robin Courteau, are seen arriving at the lunch lines.
“I’m a pretty picky eater, so there are not a lot of foods that I like,” Courteau said, “So when they have the board displayed with what they’re serving that day I don’t have to waste my time in line to be disappointed.”
This change has not just impacted students, but teachers, like Resource teacher Stephen Lamott, who are also seen at the lunch line waiting to get one of the many items as well as the daily special.
“I like having some of the regular things and then I like having the specials, so it’s a surprise,” Lamott said.
Another change put in place this year is that students have to put in their five digit ID code, like they did before Covid. Students also have the opportunity to put money into their account to be able to buy additional snacks at break.
FANS director Cody Williams has taken into account Covid struggles in the past years.
“During the prior two years of Covid we have not shifted in offer of meals grab and go,” Williams said. “But now that we are reintegrating the cafeterias back into service, we are going back to a multi-entree offering at most middle and high schools.”
This year they have made multiple changes trying to restore it to the way it was before Covid, where students could get lunch in lines, as well as buying from the cart at snack.
