WHAT’S FOR LUNCH?

The content of school lunches emerges periodically as a issue, such as when officials debate whether ketchup can be classified as a vegetable, whether it is unhealthy to serve whole milk to youngsters or--most recently--whether a chemical used on apples poses a danger to students. Here are the elementary schools lunch menus, and the cost, on a recent Tuesday in five communities around Los Angeles County and three regions of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

ARCADIA--$1.40 Beef and bean burrito Mexican rice Green salad (Italian dressing) Cherry turnover Milk (whole, low-fat or chocolate nonfat) DOWNEY--$1 Hamburger (oven-baked) French fries (oven-baked) Pickle chips Canned pineapple Milk (whole, low-fat or chocolate low-fat) COMPTON--$.85 Spanish macaroni Garlic bread Tossed salad Icy juicy Milk (whole or low-fat; on Fridays chocolate nonfat is also available) BEVERLY HILLS--$1.50 Spaghetti with meat sauce French bread with margarine Garden salad (choice of Thousand Island, yogurt or low-fat vinegar and oil dressing) Diced canned peaches Optional carrot and celery sticks Milk (whole, low-fat or chocolate nonfat) INGLEWOOD--$1 Fried chicken or oven-baked beef nuggets Mashed potatoes Fresh fruit or orange juice Graham crackers Milk (whole, low-fat or chocolate nonfat) LOS ANGELES UNIFIED REGIONS--$.50 South, Central and West Los Angeles (regions A,C & D) Choice of taco or egg roll with rice Shredded lettuce salad with salsa, or green salad with tomato and French dressing Canned fruit Milk (whole, low-fat or chocolate nonfat) Part of South Central Los Angeles and East Los Angeles (regions B & G) Choice of cheeseburger or chicken patty sandwich Oven-baked potato rounds Fresh fruit Milk (whole, low-fat or chocolate nonfat) San Fernando Valley and north part of East Los Angeles (regions E,F & H) Toasted cheese sandwich or tamale and refried beans Green salad with tomato, French dressing Mixed fruit with cherries or cherry applesauce Raisin oatmeal or peanut butter cookie Milk (whole, low-fat or chocolate nonfat)