Last-minute changes to Lee County school lunches

Lee County parents have been told that supply issues may change up what’s available on their children’s lunch menu.

There is not a shortage of food in the School District of Lee County, just a shortage in the labor force that helps get the food to the schools. Rob Spicker, spokesman for SDLC, says there will simply be limited options on the lunch menu for your kids. So, for instance, instead of pizza that day of the week, they may have to settle for hot dogs.

“Don’t worry,” Spicker said. “There’s always going to be a hot and cold nutritious choice for your child to eat. It just might not be what’s on the menu. And so, as frightening as the message can look and appear, we really just wanted to be up-front and honest with our parents.”

And this isn’t just happening at the schools in Lee County, but all over the country due to a nationwide shortage of food workers.

“You and your child may look at the menu as they wake up and they go to school, and it says pizza for lunch,” Spicker said. “And then they’ll come home and tell you they had chicken nuggets. And that is because we’re going to have to make those changes based on what is delivered and what’s available.”

Spicker also says that, just like most of the problems initiated by the pandemic, there’s truly no end in sight for this issue.