The COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on daily life have been numerous, and almost nowhere have they been as apparent as in school. As the summer winded down and students returned to school, many of these changes solidified themselves. 

Here at ERHS, the differences were immediately apparent, and nowhere were they as apparent as in the cafeteria. It has become the big exception: the place where students can pull their mask down. The cafeteria space itself has warped and shifted, expanding outside the school and into the auditorium. As students have returned to this strange yet familiar environment, there has been another, somewhat disappointing shift: the food. 

In light of the pandemic and the many challenges it brought with it, the county has decided to make school lunches free for everyone. This shift to free lunches has undoubtedly come with benefits to many students. When asked about the universally free lunches, Senior Julissa Mendoza-Robles commented that she “thinks it’s great that everyone has an option now.” 

However, the size and quality of lunches seems to have taken a bit of a turn for the worse. Mendoza-Robles stated that “there’s less food than usual,” and “there are less options for sides.”  She also shared an image of a meal she had previously received. This meal consisted of a small serving of ground beef with a bag of chips on the side.

Other people do not think quality has not dipped too far from past years and many students are still satisfied. Imran Zamin, a Junior who transferred from Suitland High School thinks that the food has gotten considerably better. Suitland served “dry fries,” he said, and the food “had no flavor.” Here at Roosevelt the meals are “bigger and better,” and the food “is actually spiced.” 

Overall, many students think the pandemic has had a positive impact on lunches at ERHS. Of course the lunches have dipped in quality, but the “new normal” has changed things in other ways people thought weren’t possible. The restrictive regulations put into place because of COVID-19 ended up having the opposite effect, at least at lunch. They gave people more freedom. People can now sit outside and in the auditorium. Zamin says sitting outside is “very relaxing and better for socializing.” Mendoza-Robles commented that she always sits outside because it’s safer, and she says “it’s really nice when the weather is nice.”  

It is currently unclear how lunch will continue to evolve into the future. Will lunch remain free? Will students continue to be able to sit outside? Will the quality of lunches improve? All of that remains to be seen.