Three Meals at the NHS Cafeteria

Amid the sea of stale, lethargic students, a hot, salty odor floats overhead from the great stainless steel wonderland of the kitchen. Behind the counter stand three benevolent members of the cafeteria staff, who portion out the meal du jour and place the recyclable (holier than thou) trays within reach of hungry hands. A laminated sign announces, “Doubles $2.00. NOT FREE.” I don’t know if I will be able to restrain myself from exceeding the limits of free lunch, especially with the harmony of whole grains and wet vegetables pulling me in, but I will try.

“Aloha Burger”

Aloha to you, burger. If you’ve ever partaken in the hamburger or cheeseburger, both staples of the Needham High School daily menu, you are familiar with their dry, unseasoned meat. The patty has the effect of having been wrung-out and tumble-dried on high heat, in addition to its uncannily uniform texture. The whole wheat bun has a typical, but not wholly unwelcome bitterness, but the toppings are really what make this meal. The pineapple salsa adds a note of brightness and acidity, which balances out the simplicity of the “burger.” Its welcome spiciness is an exciting alternative to ketchup, yet the side of sweet potatoes leaves more to be desired. They seem to have been baked rather than fried, which is, admittedly, healthier. However, it is arguably no longer a fry, as its cold pudginess tarnishes the name of fries everywhere.

“Irish Nachos”

These nachos are Irish in the same sense that donuts are for cops. That is to say that this meal has never, in the history of gastronomy, been cooked in an Irish household. The potatoes are of similar texture to the aforementioned sweet potato fries: cold and soft (words I should only like to use when describing ice cream or perhaps a polar bear cub). Instead of the typical nacho cheese of yesteryear, a light smattering of shredded cheese dusts the topmost pieces of potato. Again, this is most certainly better for your longevity than the vat of Yellow 5 we all remember so fondly.

“Homemade Macaroni & Cheese”

Let it be noted that the macaroni and cheese is an inconsistent dish in terms of pasta shape and cheese sauce texture. This particular dish of interest is that served on September 25th, which is likely the most recent instance of macaroni and cheese at NHS at the time of the publication of this issue. This dish consists of rotini pasta swimming in cheese sauce (conveniently classified as “extra cheesy” by Nutrition Services). It is no doubt a sufficient source of your daily sodium, and fills that hole of aforementioned liquid cheese sauce that we all yearn for.

Dining at Needham High School is, in summation, a gamble. Some meals are a horrible franken-mess of leftovers, while others are creative and satiating. That is to say, I recommend dining here strategically. Look at the nutrition menu ahead of time so as not to be blindsided by “Irish Nachos,” and always have a backup meal in case of emergency.