From Brain Rage:

Why Does A Salad Cost More Than A Big Mac?

Many years ago...35? we lived in a very small town with a one school school district and that school (K - 8) had a cafeteria and some cooks. A beautiful kitchen with old fashioned oak lined refrigerators. The head cook purchased all sorts of fresh foods and they cooked lunch and a light breakfast for students and staff. Everyone loved the food! Those of us who couldn't eat there were jealous when we heard about the turkey lunches made from fresh turkeys. Purchased locally. The pastries were out of this world, or so I was told. Baked fresh, early in the morning and every day. Did I mention that it was also quite inexpensive to eat there? But then it changed...the county Sup't of schools decided to take over all food purchasing for the school as they could buy cheap government commodities. In fact, as I heard it; they were told by the feds that they had to buy those commodities. Well, the head cook, a very nice lady, tried her best to make something good with the tons of cheese they sent her. Cheese? After awhile the cooks started quitting until there was only one left and then they had to subscribe to the county meal plan where the meals are cooked somewhere else and trucked in every day. The kitchen is dark now and I heard that they sold the refrigerators. The fact that this cafeteria once produced good and healthy food is just an old story and after awhile it will be forgotten altogether.