There has been a recent shortage of lots of popular lunch items in the South lunchroom such as Gatorade, Juicy Juice and some bread for sandwiches.

Matt Tomrell, MCCSC’s Director of Food Services, explained the reasons for the shortage in a message to families. 

“The Monroe County Community School Corporation’s food distributors and manufacturers, like many business sectors nationwide, are experiencing large labor and product shortages as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic” Tomrell said.

 In his email, he mentioned that many products on the school lunch menu are not available and that they are working on substitutions and menu changes as a plan B. He said he will keep the school system posted and that he will make sure to communicate any changes with school principals, secretaries and health officials.

Senior La’Jon Flowers said he had noticed the shortage. 

“I’m not really one of those people who cares about it, but it can be frustrating for those who eat it a lot,” Flowers said. 

He said the sandwich choices differ a lot, but he doesn’t really mind these changes even though the menu shifts so often. 

Lori Miller, the Bloomington High School South Kitchen Manager, is also frustrated trying to stock the BHSS kitchen for lunches.

“We’ve ordered things and haven’t gotten them but we go to a different vendor and then we get them,” Miller said. 

 Miller mentioned that when they do have shortages on certain items they will shift to the menu to a different day of the week depending on the food that is available. The most common items that the school has run low on has been Juicy Juice, hamburger buns and Gatorade because some of these items are things that all school corporations are ordering. This causes the vendors to sell out very quickly.

“We are also short staffed so we don’t have the other lines open,” Miller said. 

She also said some students have been leaving the longer lines and just not eating. 

Miller is hoping to get a pizza oven for the kitchen soon so that she can improve the school lunches for the estimated 590 students who eat school lunch every day.