Heading to school without a lunch? No problem.  Go out with friends for a quick meal. No gas or car? Well, buy lunch at school. If that doesn’t sound appealing, just stay tuned because I’m here to reveal how the cafeteria and lunch carts carry healthy and flavorful options.

The first meal that comes to mind when thinking about eating healthy would be a salad. Everyone knows salads contains veggies and fruits and will never do any harm, right? Well, not necessarily.

Yes, most salads work as a lighter alternative to foods like burgers and pizza, but some may still rank pretty high in sodium, fat and calories. After adding so many ingredients, a salad can become a burger in disguise. Keeping that in mind, there are currently five salad choices at school: chicken patty, taco, fruit, veggie and caesar. The two lightest options are fruit and veggie. But, if meat and protein sounds more appetizing the next best choice would be a Caesar salad with no croutons and dressing on the side.

Maybe  salad just doesn’t sound appetizing altogether, and if that’s the case, don’t worry, there’s other great items.

“We make turkey subs in the morning,” Mrs. Streano said. “It’s a fresher made sandwich.”

Lean meat, vegetables and good carbs contain the right kind of fuel for the body. When deciding between this sandwich or the BBQ beef sandwich and hot pastrami, go with the turkey because it will give you the most positive energy.

For those days when big lunches don’t appeal, the school provides more than enough snacks. It’s finding the nutritious snack that’s a little difficult. Ranging from Rice Krispie treats to Corn Nuts, the choices are endless. There are healthy snacks (or better options) intermixed within the other assortments such as: baked chips, veggie snack plates, fresh fruit and granola bars.

“Our brownies have to be low-fat and our [products] have less sugar now,” Mrs. Streano said.

After eating, the best way to energize even more is to drink water. CHS offers Gatorade, fruit punch, orange juice, chocolate milk and other beverages, but sticking with water is the best option. Water keeps the body hydrated and will give you natural energy.

Lunch at school doesn’t have to be unhealthy or feel wrong; it’s all in the way of approaching the menu. If there are still questions about other items in the cafeteria don’t be afraid to ask to see the nutrition information.