Pepperoni pizza is getting swapped for pretzel dogs.
Cinnamon rolls and shredded cheese are hard to come by, and serving trays are in short supply.
As nationwide shipping delays grow, schools in Arlington are facing shortages of cafeteria staples like chicken, macaroni and cheese, and even plastic cutlery.
“We are still providing healthy, nutritious meals, and we will continue to do that,” David Lewis, the district’s director of food and nutrition services, said on the district’s website. “It might just look a little different.”
Similar issues are dogging schools in North Texas and nationwide. Dallas ISD announced in September that it will serve only finger foods twice a week because of a plasticware shortage.
Arlington ISD will not be able to offer traditional Thanksgiving meals this month because of a shortage of turkeys and green beans, Lewis said. The district recently ordered 300 cases of green beans; only eight have arrived.
In past years, the district published monthly menus, but now it’s only able to provide weekly menus, Lewis said, and even those sometimes change based on what the school has that day.
The district is also offering fewer choices. High schools used to serve 16 menu entrees. Now, it offers three.
Vendors have repeatedly pushed back delivery dates, changed or even canceled orders. School officials recently ordered 450 cases of sliced beef; 11 have been delivered.
Other items in short supply include french fries, muffins, biscuits, yogurt, mandarin oranges, pineapples, tamales and empanadas.
To ensure the district has enough food, a purchasing team spends its days scouring the internet to buy food and non-food items like trays, Lewis said. Food services employees will open the loading dock any time a truck can deliver, even in the middle of the night or on a weekend.
Arlington is also struggling to find enough cafeteria workers. The district has 167 open positions, for which it recently increased pay.
“Our campus staff are working incredibly hard to make sure every student who wants a meal is fed,” Lewis said on the district’s website. “Please be patient with them.”
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