After parent outcry, Paris school canteens apologize for serving students pre-packaged sandwiches

A Paris town hall that oversees local school canteens has been forced to apologize to outraged parents for serving their children pre-packaged “industrial triangular sandwiches,” aka the least offensive of the cafeteria foods American students are expected to shove in their pieholes for lunch every day.

French schools have a reputation for typically feeding their pupils balanced, nutritious, freshly prepared three-course meals, including a main dish, a side, and a dairy product. The offending sandwiches — dished up with tomatoes, bread and butter, a slice of watermelon, and an apple — were apparently served to 14,000 schoolchildren in Paris’s 18th arrondissement after a four-day weekend disrupted the regular meal delivery schedule, a spokesman for the local town hall said in defense of the decision.

Presented without comment, here are some choice quotes from angry parents: “The children had been promised what was described as a special picnic meal, but this is verging on a scandal.” “The tomatoes were supposed to be ‘organic and local’ but in fact they were Spanish.” “Our children have often been given food cooked several days in advance, reheated and served on plastic trays. This is unacceptable.”

The town hall apologized to parents and promised that, starting in September, all sandwiches served to students will be fresh. Meanwhile, American schoolchildren, have fun with your frozen pizza and mac and cheese.

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