How good can a cafeteria meal be? This is what an $8 school lunch looks like

Shan+Speilberg%2C+director+of+dining+for+Flik+Independent+School+Dining+speaks+with+Isabell+Tharpe+Wednesday+morning+in+the+kitchen+at+Stratford+Academy

Jason Vorhees

Shan Speilberg, director of dining for Flik Independent School Dining speaks with Isabell Tharpe Wednesday morning in the kitchen at Stratford Academy

The scent of fresh-baked biscuits filled the kitchen at Stratford Academy on a September morning. While one cafeteria helper loaded trays of bacon into the oven for the upcoming breakfast break, two others chopped up piles of squash, carrots and Brussels sprouts.

In the Stratford cafeteria, students can choose from more than just pizza and peanut butter sandwiches. The school’s lunch menu features gourmet offerings like grilled chicken saltimbocca, brown sugar-glazed carrots, a full salad bar and a deli sandwich station.

Kids also can get french fries and turkey sandwiches, if they want to stick to the basics. But if students are willing to try something new, they’ve got plenty of options.

Read the rest of the story here.