Starting this year the cafeteria will be available everyday after school from 2:30-3 p.m. for students participating in after school activities.

Athletic director Dr. Gary McChalicher wanted to open the cafeteria as a replacement for the bistro, which has been closed since the start of the pandemic.

“I don’t understand how kids can go out and compete on an empty stomach,” McChalicher said. “I think nutrition is very important […] and thought the kids needed to have food available.”

Cafeteria manager Lynn Humphries runs the cafeteria after school. It offers a variety of food and drinks for students to purchase after school.

Humphries said, “I’m trying to get different things that we don’t have at regular lunch, but the chain supply is all over the place and not good right now.”

The supply chain disruption that Humphries mentioned is the shortage of products and goods that we are now experiencing as the pandemic is slowly lifting.

According to abc news chief U.S economist Steve Ricchiuto said, “The result of that imbalance between supply and demand eliminated all the inventory and eliminated all the grease that allows the wheels of commerce to work smoothly.”

Currently, the cafeteria has mostly snacks and drinks available after school, these include snacks like chips, muffins, and occasionally peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Aside from a place to get and eat their food, students can use the cafeteria as a place to study or complete schoolwork before their after school activities.

Junior Andrew Lepovski said, “ I have only been there a few times but when I went, I got a bag of chips and a muffin.”

Coaches think it is a great idea for the cafeteria to be open after school for athletes, but have a few concerns.

Field hockey coach Beverly Whiteford is concerned that some athletes won’t be able to make it to practice on time if they stop to get something to eat.

Cross country coach Mike Twigg wants to make sure the athletes have healthy food available and are not consuming junk foods before practice.

“I think it’s great that the cafeteria is open for student-athletes to get something to eat/drink after school since the Bistro isn’t open due to staffing/covid issues. I would be curious to see what is actually being offered at the end of the day and what the costs look like,” said football coach Christopher Grube.