Feeding hundreds of students full meals every day is no easy task, however, SAGE Dining Services answers the call. SAGE Dining offers many options for lunch every day so each student can have multiple choices instead of just a main course. From soups and salads to vegetarian and gluten-free choices, SAGE Dining makes school lunch enjoyable and accessible to all.

Despite all of these options, some say there are still flaws. Junior Chatur Nadar said, “I am for SAGE because they are great at providing meals for large numbers of students. However, I dislike SAGE because sometimes the taste and portions are subpar. This year, I feel at times that the amount of food is much smaller and is sometimes cold.” On the other hand, History Teacher Jacob Emory said, “I love SAGE Dining. It’s wholesome. I absolutely love the many varieties and healthy options provided for us each day. Also, the beverage choice is top notch. The food provided by SAGE has kept this year mostly normal, at least from my perspective.” It is not just teachers that enjoy SAGE; Senior Cole Eskew agrees with Mr. Emory that SAGE is a good service “SAGE is a lot better than it was last year. The pre-made sandwiches are the move, and SAGE feels the same even with COVID.”

This year, one of SAGE’s biggest hurdles has been COVID-19. The world has been dynamically changed in so many ways, and presents a hefty challenge when preparing and implementing a school lunch service. Bible Teacher Dr. Donovan Kelly shares his thoughts on COVID-19-era SAGE. “I will say that COVID-19 has made SAGE’s job much more difficult. I’m not sure what they could do to improve the situation, and I’m glad that I don’t have to figure that one out. All things considered, SAGE does a phenomenal job on fried chicken, and I also like the salad bar.”

This year, SAGE Dining is working hard to create an enjoyable lunch experience while still keeping all students and faculty as safe as possible. They are now pre-packaging or pre-plating all meals rather than letting students make their own plate, and utensils and cups are now all disposable or easy to clean and sanitize. In addition, seating for students includes only four to a bench, separated limited capacity dining in classrooms for Seniors, an additional lunch line for social distancing, and plenty of outdoor distanced seating. In the coming weeks, a SAGE Dining/Food committee is being developed to collect feedback from PCA students, faculty and parents who can provide constructive ideas and suggestions. Overall, SAGE Dining does an exceptional job feeding hundreds of students safely every day to create the best dining experience possible.