An article in the New York Times describes the struggles many school districts are having in getting the foods they need to feed their students. Between supply chain shortages, cafeteria worker shortages, and the lack of truck drivers to deliver product, the ability to depend on deliveries has dwindled. And they expect the situation to get worse, not better, over the coming months. The article tells stories of cafeteria workers making regular runs to their local Sam Clubs or Restaurant Depot to get food for the lunch program, without regard for the federal nutritional guidelines that they are supposed to follow. Since the pandemic, the Dept. of Agriculture has issued a slate of waivers giving schools more flexibility, and preventing them from being penalized for not meeting the federal guidelines. Since so many students depend on the food they get at school for their nutrition, this is a very sad turn of events. Along with increased prices and the uncertainty of getting the food you ordered, many districts are reporting a shortage on other basic supplies, like plastic cutlery, and have switched to cold meals not requiring forks.

To read the full article, click here.

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