When I started school in the 60s, there were no federal regulations about what school cafeterias could, couldn’t, or must serve and we had delicious, nutritious lunches. Then the feds started sticking their noses into it with free lunches for the poor kids (I was one) and the lunches steadily got worse until you have the inedible crap that Moochelle mandated.
I had to wash dishes, trays and silverware to receive a hot meal at school.
I as a poor kid too-—but started school in the late 1930s————and we trudged home for lunch.
No one gave us anything.
.
Before the feds stepped in it was handled in the district. My mother was on a school board in the 1950s and the way it was done in that district was the ranchers in the area took turns donating the meat for the cafeteria, the farmers donated vegetables, fruit, and milk when available. There was little that had to be purchased to make the meals. As a result the cost of school lunches was really cheap, and the food was likely far more nutritious that what is being served now. There were people in the district that were too poor to afford even that, but those children or their parents helped in the cafeteria to pay for their meals.
Yep - real food with proper proportions of food groups - but it wasn't 'gourmet" enough for the elitists who insist on spending $25 on a $1.50 hamburger.
Was nice being able to buy hot, sticky honey buns in the morning before class too.