Before anything, I would like to say a big thank you to the cafeteria workers! I have no idea how they manage to get everyone fed during the small amount of time we have for lunch, but it sure is amazing. For those wanting to know what will be served and when you can find the full CCSD lunch menu schedule posted on the CCSD website.

Orange/ General Tso’s Chicken

The CCSD Orange is easily one of the most popular cafeteria lunches. The chicken, coated with the heavenly, tangy sauce, pairs perfectly with the bed of rice and steamed broccoli. Although this meal never fails to hit the spot, the small serving often leaves students wishing they could have had more.

The Wraps

The cafeteria offers a variety of wraps, my personal favorite being the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. This wrap consists of sliced buffalo chicken bites, a creamy chipotle sauce), lettuce, and tomatoes. This is definitely my go-to lunch, as it has the just-right amount of food. The wraps come with fruit (typically an apple) and a bag of chips, the perfect amount to leave you very satisfied without feeling extremely full.

Chicken Sandwich

Another fan favorite in the school cafeteria is the Chicken Sandwich. This meal comes with a sandwich and a side of fries and fruit. I have even heard some compare this sandwich to one that can be bought at Chick-Fil-A. Although I likely wouldn’t go that far, this is definitely a yummy choice. Recently, they have begun offering a spicy alternative to the chicken sandwich, the spicy chicken sandwich. I think the spicy chicken sandwich is even better than the regular chicken sandwich as it offers that extra bit of flavor with the spice.

Bacon Cheeseburger

I myself have never tried the bacon cheeseburger and honestly, I don’t really want to. There is really nothing about this meal option that appeals to me, other than the side of fries it comes with. However, I am sure that some people find this option delicious as I always see a number of students lining up to get this option.

Pizza

This classic CCSD lunch is one of the options that you can have any given day of the week.  The cafeteria always offers a cheese and pepperoni option, in addition to the occasional veggie and meat-lover options. Personally, I find the cheese to be a much better option than the pepperoni as grease tends to pool on top of the pepperoni making this option lose its appeal. However, the pizza, whether cheese or pepperoni, is always a solid, safe choice because who doesn’t like pizza? The downside to the pizza (regardless of the type you get) is that it does not come with any sides except for the fruit, so students choosing this lunch option are still hungry after the single slice.

Hummus Box

The introduction of the hummus box was quite revolutionary in the AMHS cafeteria. The yummy combo of veggies and hummus made this the perfect lunch for students who were looking for a fresh and healthy lunch option. Unfortunately, as the hummus boxes are in such high demand, the cafeteria frequently runs out of them before the last trickle of students orders their lunches. 

Salad

The salad, like the pizza, is an option that can be ordered on any given day. This is always a pretty solid choice. I particularly like how they have separated the chicken and cheese from the veggies and provided some crackers on the side. Additionally, there are several different dressing options to choose from. However, speaking on the topic of salads, I really miss the build your own salad days when you could directly choose exactly what goes on your salad and there were a variety of topping options to choose from such as cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives and etc.

Buffalo Bites, Honorable Mention: Garlic Bread

The buffalo bites are always a delicious option. This meal is served with 5-6 buffalo bites, potato wedges or fries, and garlic bread. The garlic bread is truly what makes the meal for me. The delicious blend of garlic and butter atop the crispy slice of bread is really the primary reason I choose to get the buffalo bites. On their own, however, the buffalo bites are still a solid choice with just the right amount of spice at the end of every bite.

Nachos 

Maybe some people do like the nachos but personally, they just don’t cut it for me. The chips are always a little too salty, the cheese always seems a little watered down, and let’s not even begin to talk about the meat. Additionally, as the meal has been separated into its various components of meat, cheese, and chips, this option is great for meat lovers and vegetarians alike.

The Chicken Nuggets

The chicken nuggets are a fantastic choice, I have heard many claim this to be their favorite meal. This meal comes with chicken nuggets, fries or potato wedges, and fruit. I don’t think I need to go into detail about what is so good about chicken nuggets, I feel as though they speak for themselves. You really can’t ever go wrong with chicken nuggets! 

As I am discussing the options in the AMHS cafeteria, I feel as though I should comment on the Vegetarian options or lack thereof. Pescetarian Mary Archambault claims “I think that the Cafeteria should be more inclusive to vegetarians. All the cafeteria offers for vegetarians are salads and the Veggie Wrap.” Although all the sides are vegetarian friendly such as the fries, potato wedges, and mac and cheese, sides are not enough to fill a hungry student’s stomach. To my knowledge, the current vegetarian meal options include salad, veggie wrap, cheese pizza, and nachos (with the exception of the meat in the cheese), which is only a small fraction of everything that is offered in the cafeteria. The nachos are a vegetarian option as well, however, oftentimes, some of the meat ends up in the cheese, making this inedible for hard-core vegetarians. An anonymous vegetarian student claims “I can’t eat the nachos because there’s always chunks of meat in the cheese.” However, this does make sense as there is likely only a small percentage of students looking for this option.