Have you been curious as to why the goldfish you usually get with your PB&J sandwich has been replaced by the cheese crackers?

“I think we need to go back to the goldfish because I eat less now because the crackers are nasty,” freshman Mason Bui said.

According to Martha Lawson, the Food Service supervisor, the supply for not only the goldfish but other foods has been a problem district-wide.

“Supply chain issues are causing challenges and last-minute shortages,” Lawson wrote in an email. “Throughout the district we have served the Uncrustable meal with Goldfish, Cheez Its, Cheddar Chex Mix, Chocolate Chex Mix, Strawberry Chex Mix and Cheese Crackers. We will probably have pretzels sometime this week. It just depends on what is available.”

Other issues have arisen.

“Chicken products have been inconsistent as well,” Lawson wrote in an email. “We are required to purchase whole grain rich products, but those are very hard to come by so we are often making substitutions at the last minute and occasionally those items are not whole grain rich.”

It’s not just food, either.

“Paper products have been particularly challenging,” Lawson wrote. “We have ordered paper serving containers online and are working with different suppliers. We have wrapped sandwiches and ordered ‘hot dog boats’ to serve things like chicken nuggets. We also ordered plastic baskets similar to those used in many fast food restaurants and hope to receive them soon. 

“These baskets will need to be returned to the dish-room to wash and reused the next day, and we will be relying on students to not throw them away along with their trash. “