OPINION: The Barn gets too much hate
By Holland Swan ‘24
Courtesy of Lester Baskin, CGS graduate ‘86
Few aspects of Catlin Gabel School (CGS) culture stir up as much debate and disdain as the Barn does. You either love it, or you despise it (and miss Hen Troung, CGS’s previous head chef.) Well, I’m here to give my two cents: The Barn gets too much hate.
Now, this is not to say that students are not entitled to their opinions on the lunch offered by Sage Dining - they are! If you’re mad that the Celsius drinks were banned, or that the grapes cost $6.50 a cup, you have an irrevocable right to complain to your friends.
But with that being said, I believe that we, the students at CGS, have created a culture of hating on the Barn. We have lost sight of the fact that it is more than just a place where we can get food, but rather, a place where kids can go at any time of the day to converse, hang out with their friends, relax, or even just to get their steps in.
For example, as the stress of schoolwork is winding down, so is the strictness of our teachers. Breaks in the middle of class have become far more frequent, and I, like many of my peers, find myself making frequent trips to it every day - just because! When people hate on the Barn, they are not just hating on the food, but indirectly, the camaraderie it fosters within our community.
Contrary to what readers may think, I am not the only student at CGS who feels this way. When senior Campbell Keys was asked about her opinions on the Barn and the food provided, she responded, “Overall, I think the barn is solid. They have solid snack options and in comparison to other schools, I feel like it's more solid than most.”
In her thoughtful answer, Keys brings up two great points. One is that overall, the barn is solid. They do an adequate and thoughtful job of giving kids various healthy and tasty food options. You can choose between a variety of smaller snacks and drinks, and the main meals provided are courteous and inclusive of students' allergies and dietary restrictions.
And two, compared to most schools in Portland, what the Barn provides is better quality than what you would get at your neighborhood school. I should know as I attended public school up until my freshman year, and I can say without a doubt that I would take a 6-pack of purple sushi over a cold slice of pizza any day.
With these points being said, it is important to recognize that yes, the Barn does have its flaws. Even Keys seems to agree.
“Even though [the Barn] is generally good, they’re kind of lacking on their snack game right now, which is ironic because the main thing that kids go to the barn for are snacks. Also, I wish there were more vegetarian options! There is a lot of tofu but it never really looks that appealing to me, so I don’t eat the hot lunch very much,” stated Keys.
While the Barn does account for everyone's dietary needs, Keys brings up a valid complaint among the student body about the need for more diversity within those options. Vegetarian and vegan students should feel excited about what they are having for lunch, and it is something that Sage should keep in mind in the future.
Like Keys, senior Lewis Anderson 24’ was open to sharing his opinion on the Barn. “If you want something junky, you've got options,” said Anderson. “But if you are looking for something healthy, there are not that many options.”
He elaborated, expressing that he feels like the Barn puts too much emphasis on the drinks and grab-and-go snack options, and because of this, the quality of the main meals falls behind. Anderson wishes that the meals were focused more on nutrition and dietary balance, and alongside this, that the alternate options to the hot lunch (such as the sushi and sandwiches) were better stocked and higher quality.
With these concerns in mind, it is important to recognize that the Barn has its flaws - it is not a perfect system! There are aspects of the operations that could benefit from tangible change, and I urge any readers who strongly agree to connect with Sage Dining and to share with them your concerns and ideas. (Contact resources provided below.)
All in all, I’d like to leave you with one final statement: while the Barn has its shortcomings, it makes up for them with its employee's hard work, the community it fosters, the variety of options that are offered, and the occasional ‘Bubble Tea Friday’. With all things considered, the barn gets too much hate.
Contact for Sage Dining: https://www.sagedining.com/contact/feedback