I have eaten school lunch every weekday for 12 years, so I am expertly qualified to judge their merits. In case you’ve been spending long block under a rock and didn’t know, school lunch is free this year, which means the lines are getting longer. But which meals are worth waiting for, and which should you avoid at all costs?

I bought and reviewed the “international” lunch (the second station, with rotating daily meals) every school day for the month of October. Click through the slideshow of photos below to find out which meals will leave you wanting seconds (and which will leave you wanting Uber Eats).

Gallery • 18 Photos

(Amanda Wylie)

Day 1: French Toast. The cubed potatoes tasted nothing like potatoes. They were hard (perhaps undercooked) and lacked flavor. The grayish color was very unappetizing. The French toast sticks tasted whole wheat (and I mean that in the worst way possible). The inside was moister than expected. The cinnamon flavor was not enough to make me want to finish. I did not drink the “orange juice.” I have limits. The bright spot of the lunch was the dried cranberries, a consistent and filling side. They’re delicious and fruity, but that doesn’t mean they’re healthy. One package of the school’s dried cranberries contains 44% of your daily added sugar (according to the nutrition label). It’s worth it though. Overall Score: 1.5/10.

Have you tried any of these lunches? Which is your favorite?

P.S. Absolutely no shade to the lunch ladies. They are so sweet and deserve to be thanked more often.