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    Worst of the Worst Foods From the School Lunch Line

    Published: Sep 8, 2023 Modified: Sep 8, 2023 by Karen Kelly This post may contain affiliate links.

    When we were in school, we hoped summer would come quickly.  At school lunchtime, we just hoped for something edible.  Many adults are still just a little traumatized by the smell, taste, and even SHAPE of their least favorite school lunches.

    The Dreaded Scoop

    Tuna fish. Selective focus
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos.

    So many lunch items came in a sticky ball that just looked gross.  It didn’t stop at rice, mashed potatoes, or mac & cheese. No, there were scoops of odd casseroles that were maybe tuna or maybe chicken.  Seems like most of them were grey.  The lunch lady just didn’t have a flair for presentation. 

    The Rectangle Pizza

    Grade school lunch tray with pizza with small carton of milk mac-n-cheese and green gelatin for dessert
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos

    As adults, it seems people are pretty evenly split over the slab of rectangle pizza.  Filling and topped with melty cheese, many people remember it fondly.  Most, if not all of us agree that pizza became really yucky if you didn’t get to the lunch table before it cooled completely.  The crust somehow turned both stale and soggy at the same time.  And all the grease seemed to congeal on top, ruining our cheesy goodness.

    Dr. Seuss Inspired Green Eggs & Ham

    Two eggs frying in oil
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos

    On or around March 2nd every year, school lunch ladies go wild, adding green food coloring to the eggs with a side of ham jerky (how DID they get it so dry?!)  Dr Seuss is to be celebrated, powdered eggs reconstituted with water, and food dye should be outlawed. 

    Taco Salad

    taco salad
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos

    It was served already mixed together with stale chips, wilted lettuce, and surprisingly hard shreds of cheese.  The deal breaker, though, was the slightly muddy-looking scoop of refried beans on top.  And once plopped on top could never be scraped from the ingredients below.

    Warm White Milk

    bottle of milk
    Photo Credit: Shutterstock

    Of course, the chocolate milk went first.  So plain milk got to sit out longer, just warming up for the next student in line.  Bonus if the expiration date stamped on the carton was more than a year earlier.

    When Good Vegetables Are Served Bad

    Tray of food in a school canteen
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos

    Green beans have the worst rap for veggie sides.  It wasn’t just that the green beans were not green but an odd brownish-grey that exists nowhere in nature.  They had a burnt, metallic flavor.  Definitely, no butter in the school lunch recipe. 

    Maybe if the lunchroom meal preparers just drained off the fluid from the big industrial-size aluminum can before heating up the beans?  Future generations can only hope. 

    Succotash

    Succotash - Southern American dish with vegetables, butter beans, butternut squash, sweetcorn and chorizo
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos

    The first runner-up was the mismatched but frequently served carrot, corn, and lima bean combo.  “Succotash”.  Emphasis on the first syllable.

    Stale Bread Sandwiches

    Sliced bread in a basket
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos.

    Maybe the bread started out fresh.  But either by sitting uncovered for long periods or a failed attempt to make the sandwich grilled or toasted, that white bread was awful.  The addition of a leaf of lettuce that was limp by the time a kid put it on their tray did not help.  At all. 

    There were some PB&Js and mystery meat sandwiches claiming to be cold cuts.  The occasional lazy day, one piece of cheese between two slices of bread recipe.  And the horrible burgers.  (Do you think burgers are sandwiches?)  Whatever they were, they were grey and kind of looked fuzzy. 

    Flying Saucers

    mashed potatoes
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos

    This might land on a list of urban legends.  But any kid who was served Flying Saucers in the lunchroom will tell you they were frighteningly real.  Bologna, topped with mashed potatoes, topped with a couple of slices of bright, yellow cheese.  Sometimes, the meat was a slightly ground ham patty that left the kids wishing for bologna.

    Vegetable Soup

    panera bread 10 vegetable soup
    Photo Credit: Karen Kelly

    Solid plan, poor execution.  The watery green-grey vegetable soup inevitably had mostly celery, with a sad pea or slice of carrot floating in the mix. 

    The Gravy Fooled Noone

    Traditional American biscuits and gravy for breakfast on wooden table
    Photo Credit: Shutterstock

    Gravy was the big red flag.  Anything served in the school cafeteria topped with gravy meant you did NOT want to know the truth of what was underneath.  Usually, it was something claiming to be steak, either Salusbury or chicken fried, but always awful.  It was strange that even when topped with gravy, the mashed potato ball had the ability to stick to your lunch tray, even upside down.  

    The best days were when you could find someone who actually liked the fish sticks and would trade you for the chocolate chip cookie.  Even though there was only one square chocolate chip baked onto the top of it. 

    This thread inspired this post

    10 Seriously Boomer Foods That Boomers Love According to the Internet

    Senior man eats a pizza
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos

    Baby boomers lived through tricky historical times, so we must be mindful of their food choices. My parents in England grew up in Austerity Britain between 1945 and 1955 when war rationing continued. While some of the meals that survived this era may still be with us, who would begrudge people for craving their childhood favorites? In a recent online post, people suggest foods baby boomers still love. Find the list here.

    10 Popular Foods That Men Voted They Can't Bring Themselves To Eat

    Man saying no
    Image Credit: Shutterstock.

    A recent online discussion among men involved foods they can't bring themselves to eat. From beef tongues to Haggis, these are popular foods men say they can handle, despite others despising them. Get the list here. 

    10 Foods Americans Eat That Are Banned in Other Countries

    surprised woman eating a donut
    Photo Credit: Shutterstock

    Did you know that several foods popular in America are banned in some other countries? Usually, this is because of chemicals or food production standards that aren’t considered acceptable in those countries. We’ve compiled a list of 10 of those foods and what they’re banned. Some might surprise you! Get the full list here. 

    10 Popular Foods Meant To Be Served Hot That People Prefer Cold. Do You? 

    Woman having fried chicken
    Image Credit: Shutterstock.

    Some people swear coffee can only be prepared with one method, or it’s improper. Others will take it cold, hot, on ice, or any other way. Are there certain foods that are supposed to be served fresh and hot that you prefer cold? This list came about because of an internet discussion where people argued whether foods like pizza or fried chicken could be eaten cold.  Get the list here. 

    The Boomer Food Hall of Fame: 10 Dishes That Are Iconic for Baby Boomers

    Senior man eats a pizza
    Photo Credit: Deposit Photos

    Baby boomers lived through tricky historical times, so we must be mindful of their food choices. My parents in England grew up in Austerity Britain between 1945 and 1955 when war rationing continued. While some of the meals that survived this era may still be with us, who would begrudge people for craving their childhood favorites? In a recent online post, people suggest foods baby boomers still love. Get the list here.

    12 Boomers Facts You Were Taught As A Child Only To Find Out They Were Not True

    woman with gum
    Photo Credit: Shutterstock

    If you grew up with Boomer parents or had Boomer teachers, you probably heard a lot of things that you later came to realize (or maybe did at the time) just weren’t true. Some of these things were well-meaning. Some seemed about making you behave, while some were downright bizarre. Get the list.

    About Karen Kelly

    Hi, I'm Karen Kelly a certified health coach, freelance food writer, and blogger. At Seasonal Cravings, you will find wholesome gluten-free recipes and healthy lifestyle tips.

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    Hello!

    I'm Karen Kelly a food and travel writer, health coach and recipe creator. At Seasonal Cravings you will find quick, healthy recipes and the best travel tips!

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