The Rocklin Unified School District provides one free breakfast and lunch daily to all of their elementary, middle and high school students. With an average of three breakfast and lunch options available, it can be hard to decide which items are worth choosing. Making the wrong choice and ending up with a bad lunch can ruin the rest of the day. To help, we tried 17 different school foods to find which one was the best and which you should avoid. We judged based on the initial texture and flavor of the foods, and whether or not they were too messy to eat in class. We rated with the mindset that these foods were provided by the California Universal Meals Program, not a high quality restaurant. 

17. Bento box (Monday)

Starting with a menu item on the weaker side, the bento box lunch served Oct. 14, has a lot of things going on with it—not all great. Served in a plastic box, the stale-looking pita bread and cold eggs looked quite unappetizing. The egg was extremely dry and overcooked. There was nothing really good about it; it tasted bad and was too cold for our liking. The pita bread was flavorless and became stale from the cold temperature.The cheese wasn’t too bad, but it didn’t mix in with the vibe or palette of the bento box, so we kind of just had to eat it plain. The apples that came with it were by far the best part since they were sweet and crunchy; they were perfect for a couple of bagged apples. Overall, we didn’t enjoy eating this meal at all and rated it a 0.5/10.

16. Caesar chicken wrap (Wednesday)

The next menu item that scored low was the caesar chicken wrap, which was offered for lunch  Oct. 16. The wrap consisted of lettuce, breaded chicken and ranch, all wrapped into a cold tortilla. We’ve heard pretty good reviews about this particular item, but we’re sad to say that we were severely disappointed. The lack of ranch dressing was upsetting, and it made the wrap extra dry. The chicken itself was dry, cold, and was absent of any flavor, whatsoever—and the same with the tortilla. Further, the wrap was loose and weak, and every bite had major fallout, which only made everything worse. We’re not too sure if it was the wrap that we got that was only bad, or if it just didn’t meet our expectations, but the rating that the caesar chicken wrap got was a sad 2/10.

15. Cheerios (Thursday)

A convenient breakfast option, the gluten-free Cheerios taste alright, but there were a few things that bothered us. Served Oct. 17, the Cheerios are missing one thing: sugar. The Cheerios lack sweetness, making them bland and overall unappetizing. Despite their initial taste, they are convenient when rushing to class. After a while,  the taste became better. While they are a safe and nutritious option, they weren’t the best. The Cheerios received an overall 2/10.

14. Breakfast bowl (Tuesday)

The breakfast bowl provided Oct. 15, surprised us. This option included scrambled eggs, chopped pieces of ham, tater tots and cheese all thrown into a plastic bowl. Based on the looks, the bowl did not look the most appealing. Somehow, the melted cheese was firm, it had odd chunks of ham suspended in the bowl — it just wasn’t that pretty to look at. 

We were hesitant to try, but it turned out to be just a bit better than we thought it would be. Despite our somewhat pleasant shock, there were still many awkward moments when eating it. The tater tots that made up the majority of the bowl were crumbly and dry, which made it hard to chew and swallow. The ham added a good amount of flavor, but it almost overpowered the rest of the flavors, which there weren’t many. The eggs and cheese tasted like almost nothing, but the texture of the eggs were fluffy and perfectly cooked. Like we mentioned earlier, the cheese had an odd texture which made it unpleasant to eat. The rating given to this menu item was a solid 3.5/10. 

 13. Bean and cheese burrito (Thursday)

Next, we have the classic bean and cheese burrito Oct. 17. It’ll satisfy your midday hunger, but overall lacks flavor. Because it only consists of three  major ingredients, the taste gets mundane and tiring after a few bites. It seems like the beginning only has a small amount of beans with mostly tortilla, however after a couple bites all of the beans are at the bottom of the burrito, forming together in a brown mush. However, it’s not something a little bit of taco sauce can’t fix. There’s not much to this burrito, so we gave it a solid 4/10. 

12. Everything bagel (Tuesday)

Coming in at number 12 is the everything bagel from the breakfast menu Oct. 15. This bagel is pretty typical, with a crunchy exterior, decorated with sesame seeds, and a fluffy interior. However, on its own, the bagel is pretty salty. When in the bag for too long, the condensation turns the bagel soggy with an unpleasant odor. The sesame seeds can also be pretty messy when eating. Despite this, if paired with the choice of strawberry or regular cream cheese, the salty flavor from the bagel is subdued and makes for a delicious breakfast. Just be mindful of the potential mess it can cause in the classroom. Our rating is a 5/10. 

11. Ground beef tacos (Tuesday)

The second lunch option Oct. 15 was the ground beef tacos which held up a decent fight in our books. The “build-your-own” concept is nice, since we got to control the amount of meat and the amount of corn in the taco. This meal can fill you up, which is part of the reason we gave it a valid 5/10. The only reason points from our rating were taken away was solely on the need for more seasoning on the meat, and the amount of meat itself. For the size of the tortilla, the meat provided in the container is not nearly enough for the two tortillas. The texture  of the meat is pretty solid since there is just enough moisture for it to not be dry, but not too soggy. The corn was perfect — it was sweet and warm which added to the overall taste of the taco.

10. Breakfast burrito (Thursday)

After the ground beef tacos comes the breakfast burrito, served Oct. 17, as well as every Thursday morning. This option is one of the better ones, for sure, as its flavors come through, and the items that make up the burrito work very well together. With the ratings finally on the rise, the breakfast burrito proudly gets a 6.5/10. If you’re looking for a reliable, savory and tasty breakfast, the burrito is a great choice. The eggs are soft and fluffy and go perfectly with the hash browns and small pieces of ham included in the burrito. Sometimes, the ingredients and tortilla aren’t evenly spread and distributed, but even then, it’s still a worthy item you should try if you haven’t.

9. Chicken and waffles (Monday)

The chicken and waffles, provided Oct. 14, was the alternative item for Monday, and came as a savior after the bento box. Rated a 6/10, the waffles were dry by themselves and had a hard consistency. However, with the sweet maple syrup, the meal was elevated. The chicken was pretty moist but had a salty undertone. We didn’t try the chicken with the waffles, however it could make a good contrast. 

8. Loaded tater tots with waffle fries (Thursday)

Coming in at No. 8, we have the loaded tater tots with waffle fries distributed Oct. 16. Although the name only considers the waffle fries and tater tots, this meal incorporates other yummy ingredients such as bacon bits, ranch, cheese and a warm bread roll. This meal is one of the best ones to eat when you’re hungry. It fills you up, it’s flavorful and  there are a variety of ingredients. The ranch dressing makes it so that the waffle fries and tater tots aren’t completely dry, and usually it evenly coats throughout all the food. The spices in the fries paired with the already nicely seasoned ranch create an amazing blend of flavors. We rated the bowl a 6.5/10 because of all these great elements. 

The only downside was that the cheese formed weird clumps that created a weird chewing sensation, as well as the occasional dry pocket without dressing. Regardless of that, the loaded tater tot and waffle fries bowl was a tasty lunch. 

7. Asian chopped salad (Thursday)

If you’re looking for a more healthy option on the menu, this Asian salad might be the perfect fit. Given out Oct. 17, and decorated with Mein Gon and breaded chicken, this salad is delicious and nutritious. The lettuce is a perfect blend of Romaine and dark greens, paired with a tasty asian sesame seed dressing. The lettuce was also very fresh, making the salad receive an overall 6.5/10. 

The only complaint we have is the bread on the side. It was dry with a crumbly texture and odd taste. It is probably good for you, but being honest, it wasn’t very good.

6. Chicken Sandwich (Friday)

Rated 7/10, the spicy chicken sandwich was served Oct.18. Similar to the loaded tater tots with waffle fries, this item needed a bit of help to reach its full potential. Ranch, mayo or buffalo sauce could be good options to add to the sandwich, which lacked moisture. The bun has a pretty good texture, compared to the questionable options of bread presented during the week. Though it doesn’t seem like much, the spicy or regular chicken sandwich is a good choice if you’re looking for a hearty lunch.  

5. Bosco sticks (Wednesday)

You can’t go wrong with Bosco sticks. Despite smell complaints, Bosco sticks are always a good go-to option on Wednesdays. Well, at least, it was our go to option Oct. 16. The soft bread coated with crumbs and cheese make a great meal when paired with the marinara. The chewy mozzarella inside the warm bread tastes amazing, and puts it higher on our list. Depending on what type you get, the sticks can either be dry or pretty tender, but nonetheless, it tastes great in our opinion. We gave them a high 7.5/10 because of their taste and texture working so well with the marinara. 

4. Croissant sandwich (Friday)

Next up, we have the croissant sandwich that is for breakfast on Oct. 18. The sandwich is one of the best items that we tried throughout the week, and a lot of it had to do with the overall taste of it. The fluffy bread base paired with the steamed egg and sausage patty makes it perfect to snack on during break or on the way to class. Although the egg doesn’t have much flavor, the sausage completely makes up for it. The cheese doesn’t get hard as it does with the loaded tater tot bowl or the breakfast bowl, because it’s sandwiched between two warm components. Overall, we rated the croissant sandwich a 7.5/10.

3. Yogurt parfait (Wednesday)

The Yogurt parfait was a very pleasant surprise on Oct. 16, with the main star of the show being the granola. The granola had a cinnamon taste and didn’t seem to get soggy in the parfait. The fruit was fresh, however the blueberries were still a little frozen. The combination of all three components made a great and fulfilling breakfast, earning a 7/10. 

2. Pizza (Friday)

Unsurprisingly, the pizza given to us Oct. 18 is the runner up for First place. Without a doubt, every single Friday, the pizza is sure to run out, and we’re sure you know why. Students rush their way to the lunch line for the thick and soft crust is easy to chew, and enjoyable when there’s just enough sauce on it. The pizza is usually cooked to perfection, with the cheese being just right and the pepperoni being crispy right on the edges. You can’t ever go wrong with the pizza, and it is, in our opinion, undoubtedly the best lunch menu option to choose from. All of these factors lead to the pizza taking one of the highest scores of a 8/10. 

1. Cinnamon Roll (Tuesday)

Taking the number one place out of all the school menu items is Tuesday’s iconic cinnamon roll. How do we even begin with the cinnamon roll? When there is the right amount of frosting on the warm rolls of dough, there is no question that the cinnamon roll gets a 10/10. 

Served Oct. 15, the sweet and soft frosting of the cinnamon roll pulls everything together, and the bits of cinnamon rubbed between each layer of the dough and the soft middle add a pleasant, spiced taste; there is nothing not to like about it. The only thing that got us was the messiness it can cause when you don’t have a fork. Besides that, the cinnamon roll is quite literally flawless. It was so incredibly easy to give this one a 10/10, as well as the first place on our list. 

Despite going through all the ups and downs of the school menu, it was fun to try the different options we’d never had before, even being students at the school for three years. For the most part, the food was decent. Trying foods that exceeded our expectations surprised us and made us eager to test some more. Even the food that we didn’t necessarily enjoy, there was almost always something good that came out of either the food or the experience.  

by AMELIA CHU & KIERA GREGORY