Honorable Mentions
Specialty Pizzas
The ‘By the Slice’ line is a good spot to get some tasty pizza if the other options aren’t up to par. Chicken alfredo, breakfast, mac & cheese, and chicken bacon ranch pizzas are all solid options that keep things fresh.
Pork Chop
The classic pork chop patty is often looked over as an option, I would urge anyone considering going the safe route with another item, to try the pork chop patty. It has a bold flavor and sits just outside the top ten.
Max Sticks
Max Sticks have been served since the first day of kindergarten, and remain a solid school lunch. The classic cheese pull of Max Sticks will forever be a school lunch classic.
Mandarin Orange Chicken
As I talked to my peers about their favorite school lunches, mandarin orange chicken often came up as a favorite; I don’t see it that way. The orange sauce is too strong, and the rice doesn’t go well with the rest of the dish. It doesn’t meet my standards for the best school lunch, and in my eyes, is not even top ten worthy.
- Meat Sauce over Pasta
At number ten in the rankings, it’s meat sauce over pasta. School pasta is second to none, and the solid meat sauce on top makes this combo top ten worthy.
- Build Your Own Asian Bowl
Unlike mandarin orange chicken, BYO Asian bowl has the perfect combination of chicken and rice, and the teriyaki sauce perfectly pulls everything together.
- Taco in a Bag
The school’s version of a walking taco is a solid lunch option. There is a plethora of toppings available to pile on top the Doritos and meat to get some bang for your buck.
- Chicken Haystack
Chicken Haystack was served on Wednesday October 18. (Wesley Johnson)
Chicken haystack burst onto the scene in middle school and was one of the most popular meals on the menu. The luster has worn off, and the cheese sauce has emerged as a flaw, many opt to bombard the grill line to get ketchup instead. With that being said it remains a solid, consistent choice.
- Santa Fe Combo
Sante Fe combo is another dish that may have been ranked higher if there were previous iterations of this list; the portions are seemingly shrinking, and the fries aren’t improving in quality. Nonetheless, the combo of fries, meat, and cheese (which works a lot better on the Santa Fe combo than the chicken haystack) is fantastic and it sits at number six.
- Chicken Alfredo
As previously mentioned, the school’s pasta is top tier. Top that with creamy alfredo sauce and tender chicken, it makes chicken alfredo a no-brainer for the top five.
- Mr. Rib
Despite having an abundance of solid options, this is the first appearance in the top ten for an item in ‘The Grill.’ Put barbecue sauce on top, and Mr. Rib becomes a flavorful, tender sandwich satisfactory for the number four spot.
- Chicken Parmesan
My bias towards chicken dishes may be showing, but the prowess of chicken parmesan is undeniable. On your plate you get a heap of pasta and a healthy serving of chicken on top. Add the marinara and parmesan, and you have a meal that will taste good and keep you full for hours.
- Potstickers
Potstickers were a new addition to the ‘Global Favorites’ line in the last couple of years. This is by far the most underrated and underappreciated dish the school offers. The meat in the middle, wrapper on the outside, and teriyaki glaze makes a fantastic combination. If you’re struggling to find something to eat, head to ‘Global Favorites’ and grab some potstickers.
- Flame Grilled Chicken
Flame grilled chicken may not be a consensus top lunch, but in my eyes, it takes the crown. This chicken is miles ahead of the breaded chicken, but still might be less popular. The filet of chicken is packed with flavor and is plenty moist. Make sure to put some ketchup on top and grab some tater tots on the side. Flame grilled chicken is the best school lunch at Sartell High School.
