DOE reverses call on axed school lunch items — including bean burritos, chicken dumplings — but not all students will benefit: sources (2024)

City officials are touting the reversal of drastic cafeteria menu changes after kids were caught trashing the meals — but not at all schools will be getting back their beloved french toast sticks, bean burritos and chicken dumplings, The Post has learned.

The much-ballyhooed change will only affect schools with “food court menus” — which are limited to some 50 schools that have taken part in a $50 million Cafeteria Enhancement Experience program, a DOE food supervisor told The Post.

“Chicken Dumplings will be served on the food court menu. Not all the schools can use the food court menu,” the supervisorsaid,adding that “the dumplings appeared on regular menus from September to December last year.”

Multiple educators across the five boroughs told the Post their schools do not have access to the “food court menu.”

“In fact, based on the DOE menu for my school my kids aren’t getting anything but cold sandwiches and salad,” one disgruntled source revealed.

When questioned several times about the difference between the “regular menu” and the “food court menu” and how many school’s received the limited menu, the DOE refused to explain.

They instead praised the agency’s turnaround, following criticism highlighted by a Post investigation in February following the controversial menu changes.

“Student voice is a cornerstone of this administration, and it’s clear that our schools are a place where kids want to eat healthy, delicious, and culturally inclusive meals,” a spokesperson said.

“Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard directly from our young people, and we are overjoyed that in partnership with the administration, we are able to restore a range of menu items, including French toast sticks, bean and cheese burritos, and chicken dumplings, that our children know and love.”

It remains unclear whether the French toast sticks and bean and cheese burrito, will appear on “regular menus” across the five boroughs or simply the “food court menu.”

The Adams administration’s flip-flop was called a “disservice to kids” by education committee chair Rita Joseph.

“Kids who rely on these meals are the ones who suffer the most,” she told the Post.

“If all of a sudden food liked by kids is taken away and no one has had that conversation, then all of a sudden it comes back and no one has had that conversation, this back and forth, is not good.

“New York City students deserve stability, especially in the food that they eat. Some of them already don’t live in stable homes. They live in shelters. So imagine, I don’t live in a stable home and now even my lunch is unstable.”

After several attempts by The Post to ask the DOE for clarification, spokesperson Nathaniel Styer shot down reports that only limited schools would get the food additions, insisting “these items are coming back to all schools,” and will be rolled out in the “next couple of weeks.”

Councilwoman Joseph said she would investigate whether the menu reversal would be rolled out to all city schools.

“If we’re doing a reversal, that should be across the board, it shouldn’t be some schools and not others, that’s disheartening,” she said.

“For someone who taught in schools for two decades, this is very disorienting for me to hear.”

Bagel sticks, chicken drumsticks, guacamole and cookies did not survive the menu changes and don’t appear to be making a return anytime soon.

The reversal comes after city leaders provided a murky response to why the menus were changed in the first place.

Officials claimed the cuts were a product of a series of budget cuts ordered across city agencies by Hizzoner — despite it being backfilled by federal money.

But on Monday, director of the city’s Office of Management and Budget Jacques Jiha claimed in a hearing the cuts were necessary because school lunches were becoming more popular.

“The city made some significant investment in school cafeterias. So you have a lot of children hanging out in the cafeterias now and eating more and more and more and more,” Jiha said.

“Uh, hello? Now it’s a bad thing that kids are hanging out in the cafeteria eating more? School lunch doesn’t need to be gross, and this response doesn’t cut the mustard,” state education committee chair John Liu said on social media.

The city has yet to confirm why the changes were made, why they were reversed and how they’re affording to return previously removed menu items.

State Senator Iwen Chu said her email inbox has been flooded since February’s meal changes — with parents and students reporting of moldy and inedible meals.

“It is unacceptable to see the quality of school lunches being provided to our students. No student should be presented with moldy, unappetizing, slimy, and incomplete food options,” Chu, who represents neighborhoods that include Sunset Park, Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights said in a statement.

“Insufficient meals harm a child’s memory, concentration, motor skills, energy, and overall mood.

“For students facing food insecurity, they rely on free or reduced fee school lunches that can provide them with nutrition and protein. In order to save costs, NYC is putting our own youth on the chopping block and leaving students with no choice but to starve.”