Cafeteria Throwbacks: The Best (and Worst) School Lunches Ranked

School cafeterias may not have been gourmet dining halls, but they definitely left their mark on us. From the meals that made us look forward to lunch break to the ones that made us wish we’d packed a lunch, cafeteria classics hold a special place in our memories. We are reminiscing about 10 nostalgic school lunches, and ranking the best (and worst) ones that defined our childhoods.

#1: Walking Tacos

Genius, and in a Dorito bag… we rate this #1

#2: Rectangle Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza? As simple as that slice of rectangle pizza was, it was perfect. Crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle. This was nostalgia on a tray and you could always rely on this meal to satisfy you and fill you up.

#3: Nachos & Cheese Sauce

“Cheese” is a generous description for the creamy orange liquid we dipped our chips in. However, it worked. The taste was amazing and the blend between crunchy and melty always hit the spot.

#4: French Toast Sticks

Breakfast for lunch? This was always a hit. Dumping the sticks in maple syrup turned into a competition. Bargaining and trading others for as much possible syrup you could get your hands on was an absolute must.

#5: Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

This was a semi-rare appearance, but always a comforting classic. The soup was often a bit too runny, however, the grilled cheese pulled it all together. 

#6: Italian Dunkers

While the idea of dunkable, cheesy bread is perfect in theory, Italian Dunkers fell short. The “crispiness” was nonexistent as they were often soggy. Not to mention, the Dunkers left your fingers feeling far too greasy. Unfortunately, the lack of texture detracts from the potential, so Italian Dunkers ranks 6th.

#7: Bosco Cheese Sticks

While similar in form and function as Italian Dunkers, these dunkable sticks were often dry and lacked flavor. This earns them one spot below the Italian Dunkers.

#8: Pancakes & Sausage

Another breakfast for lunch option. Not as fun and innovative as the French toast sticks, but still a classic meal that offered some excitement.

#9: Mac & Cheese

How the great have fallen. Despite Mac & Cheese being one of the best dishes for a kid of all time, its school lunch version leaves a lot to be desired. Mushy, stale, and incomparable to Kraft, it ends up taking the 9th spot. 

#10: Fish Sticks

Now I’m pretty sure it’s obvious why this is in dead last compared to our other options. Enough said. 

Honorable Mentions: Desserts & Sides

Ice Cream With Wooden Spoons

You could definitely taste more of the wooden spoon than the actual ice cream, but it didn’t matter. If this ice cream treat was a dessert option, you always went for it. 

Frozen Fruit Cup

These were always a bit too frozen, but the flavor would make up for it every time. Also, it contains fruit, so it's healthy--right?

Smiley Face Fries

I mean, come on! Who doesn’t love French fries AND with a cute smiley face?! This side was always great to see in the lineup.

What do you think about our list?

Do you agree with Walking Tacos being the best nostalgic school lunch? Or do you think Fish Sticks were robbed? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comment section!