Most students would not consider themselves fans of cafeteria food. For those students, the Lion’s Den provides alternate foods such as Doritos and Tootsie pops. However, next year, that will not be the case.

“It’ll be open lunch and after school,” marketing instructor Jason Crawford said. “But this’ll be the last year.”

Crawford and his marketing class run the Lion’s Den. The Lion’s Den is being shut

down so the school can comply with federal regulations.

Under a “Competitive Foods Rule,” food sales that don’t go to the school lunch program are banned. So, groups like student council and DECA can’t sell food and keep the profit. Regulations also ban any foods with minimal nutritional value, including most carbonated beverages, gum and many candies from being sold.

One month of non-compliance would mean a $200,000 loss in federal lunch reimbursements. Annually, the loss would climb to $2.25 million.

The one-year reprieve allows DECA to continue raising money through the Lion’s Den for its program in the same way it has for more than 30 years.

“The district has been supportive,” Crawford said. “Even allowing us to be open this year was a big struggle.”

Students aren’t ready to give up their Doritos.

“I hate it,” junior Cassie Fratiello said. “I don’t like it at all.”

Despite a negative reaction, Crawford remains optimistic.

“They are disappointed,” Crawford said of students. “We all were, but we look at this like a real-world example.”

Crawford wants his students to learn that sometimes you have to change the business plan. Other students, however, don’t want to change their lunch plans.

“It’s dumb,” senior Paige Wente said. “They shouldn’t close.”

Wente thought of one solution, suggesting the Lion’s Den sell healthier foods to comply with the regulations. That is exactly what Crawford has in mind.

Crawford plans to bring back the Lion’s Den next year, though with a slightly different name. He intends to change the Lion’s Den to a Juice Stop that uses lunch cards. Crawford says this will comply with the healthy foods rule, and using lunch cards means the money will still go to the school lunch program.

Crawford also said he is interested in hearing suggestions of what should be sold. Students who want to help can go to the LHS Facebook page and answer a survey.

“We aren’t going to close altogether,” Crawford said. “It’ll just look a lot different.”