The DECA Den has been clearing out items, going as far as to put most items on sale or buy one get one free because of a recent audit by the state. As of now, the Den is selling food that does not meet guidelines for nutritional values of certain products. The Den is getting rid of items such as.

• Mountain Dew Baja Blasts
• Blue Fuego Takis and other chips are being replaced with Lays baked chips and reduced fat options
• Oh, Snap, dill pickle coins
• Toasty Tuesday grilled cheese and tomato soup combo
• Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies, but are being replaced with their gluten-free option

Along with changes in the Grizzly Grounds coffee bar reducing their lotus energy drinks from a 20-ounce cup to a 12-ounce cup. With this change, they will also be lowering these prices, which will result in a loophole for students to purchase two 12-ounce drinks for a cheaper price than the 20-ounce ever was for 4 more ounces. After speaking with staff, it was uncovered that there is a calculator used to determine serving sizes and regulate certain food groups and sugars. Since there is not a state-regulated calculator, staff had to create their own. With this, there was a miscommunication between staff, causing an imbalance resulting in calories and serving sizes becoming inaccurate. In the days leading up to the audit, the students were instructed to keep the reasons for the change covert. When interviewing a member of the student staff, Cooper Hankins confirmed this: “During class, Mrs. Beth told us we are not allowed to talk about the audit outside of the classroom,” Hankins said.

When staff was asked, the answers were brief, open-ended, or shot down entirely. During an interview with assistant principal, Mrs. Elliot says, “My understanding is we can’t sell certain food groups, and we need to clean up some things before the audit. But that’s all I know.” Other staff were not willing to comment or were absent throughout the week.

Post-audit DECA plans to keep the changes permanent for the rest of the year. Although they have replaced many items with healthier alternatives, students say they may rethink stopping by the Den for lunch. “I really liked the old cookies and got one almost every day. I tried the new gluten free ones, and I couldn’t even finish it. I miss the old cookies,” Sarah Stein said.

This leaves students to wonder what DECA will sell in the coming years. Is it student-run if we can’t pick what’s sold? Will students even purchase the food?