No matter how old you are or how long you’ve been in school, you probably remember the tasteless and unsatisfying lunch options served in the cafeteria. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like school meals have improved over the years.

Carolina, a mom on TikTokwas told by the school administration that her son was not eating the lunch provided. A glance at his tray made it clear why he was avoiding the meal altogether.

After seeing what was on his tray, the mother admitted she wasn’t surprised her son refused to eat at school.

“We received a call from the school that our son is not eating lunch,” Carolina shared on TikTok, explaining that she and her husband had asked the school to put lunch aside so that they can take it home and practice with their child.

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While recording, the mother removed the lid from the tray, revealing the lunch served to her child and chose not to eat. After seeing the sad excuse for a meal, no one – including the boy’s parents – could blame him for choosing to starve until he got home.

Lunch consisted of beans and noodles with no sauce, cold and soggy frozen broccoli, and a few pieces of carrots that looked like they had seen better days.

None of the dishes seemed seasoned either.

Carolina and her husband recognized that the lunch was clearly inedible and didn’t blame their son for not caring. In fact, both men admitted that they wouldn’t want to have that meal either.

“I don’t want him to turn his nose up about food, so it’s not disrespectful in any way,” the mother said. “Let’s be realistic: if that’s the only thing you give kids, they won’t eat it.”

To make matters worse, Carolina’s husband pointed out that this type of almost inedible school lunch is something they actually paid money for.

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The majority of children find their school meals “unappetizing”.

During an episode of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” the comedian heavily criticized school lunches and highlighted the National School Lunch Program, a federally subsidized program that provides school meals to 90 percent of schools public authorities in the country.

When students were asked to rate their school meals, many of them admitted that the food served to them in the cafeteria was pretty terrible.

Some of the words they used were “weird,” “rancid,” “raw,” and “unappetizing.”

This is not to say that public schools should serve gourmet lunches prepared by 5-star chefs because, let’s face it, many schools can’t even afford to pay their teachers. However, more care should be taken when selecting the type of lunches served, both in terms of taste and nutritional value.

Cold, soggy lunches won’t be eaten by students, and when kids don’t eat breakfast, they have trouble concentrating in class.

It’s a damaging cycle. Young children especially need food that will sustain them until they leave at the end of the school day, and current meals are clearly not enough.

As for Carolina’s son, he will receive packed lunches move forward.

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Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work focuses on today’s issues and experiences.