This year, some Monday lunches have featured meat-based entrees, prompting students to wonder whether or not Meatless Monday will be continued. However, going forward, Menlo lunches will return to pasta bars, though with a twist: meat sauce.

Meatless Monday is unpopular among some Menlo students. They often take issue with the less filling meals and lack of choice associated with the lunches.

“I actually like the idea of Meatless Monday, but I think it could use more variety,” sophomore Caleb Cohen said. Fortunately for Cohen and other Menlo students who share the same sentiment, the cafeteria staff listened. In fact, half of the Monday lunches this year have offered a meat-based entree, such as chicken fried rice, beef chili and chicken fajitas.

“There have been requests from a number of athletes and sports teams that kids aren’t getting enough protein on Meatless Monday,” Director of Dining Services Thien Hoang said.

It wasn’t just coaches and athletes that were in favor of meat-based Monday entrees. “I’ve just had so many requests, even from non-athletes, for meat-based entrees,” Hoang said.

So, for the first few weeks of school, Hoang decided to try some meat-based entrees on Mondays. Ultimately, though, he settled on a compromise, returning to pasta bars though now with a meat sauce.

According to Hoang, the decision is meant to be inclusive of everyone balancing athletes’ nutritional needs and student requests with environmental concerns and dietary restrictions. On Mondays, “You’re still going to have your pesto, your alfredo, your marinara, just now with an extra meat sauce,” Hoang said.