DOE U-turns on axed school lunch items but not all students to benefit, sources say

City officials are touting the reversal of drastic cafeteria menus changes after kids were caught trashing the meals — but not at all schools will be getting back their beloved french toast sticks, bean burritos and chicken dumplings, The Post has learned.

The much ballyhooed change will actually only affect schools with “food court menus” — which are limited to some 50 schools that have taken part in a $50 million Cafeteria Enhancement Experience program, a DOE food supervisor told The Post.

“Chicken Dumplings will be served on the food court menu, not all the schools can use the food court menu,” the supervisors said adding that “the dumplings appeared on regular menus from from September to December last year.”

Multiple educators across the five boroughs told the Post their schools do not have access to the “food court menu.”

“In fact based in the DOE menu for my school my kids aren’t getting anything but cold sandwiches and salad,” one disgruntled source revealed.

When questioned several times about the difference between the “regular menu” and the “food court menu” and how many school’s received the limited menu, the DOE refused to explain.

They instead praised the agency’s turnaround, following criticism highlighted by a Post investigation in February following the controversial menu changes.

“Student voice is a cornerstone of this administration, and it’s clear that our schools are a place where kids want to eat healthy, delicious, and culturally inclusive meals,” a spokesperson said.

“Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard directly from our young people, and we are overjoyed that in partnership with the administration, we are able to restore a range of menu items, including French toast sticks, bean and cheese burritos, and chicken dumplings, that our children know and love.”

It remains unclear whether the French toast sticks and bean and cheese burrito, will appear on “regular menus” across the five boroughs or simply the “food court menu.”

The Adams administrations’ flip-flop was called a “disservice to kids” by education committee chair Rita Joseph.

“Kids who rely on these meals are the ones who suffer the most,” she told the Post.

“If all of a sudden food liked by kids is taken away and no one has had that conversation, then all of a sudden it comes back and no one has had that conversation, this back and forth, is not good.

“New York City students deserve stability especially in the food that they eat. Some of them already don’t live in stable homes. They live in shelters. So imagine, I don’t live in a stable home and now even my lunch is unstable.”

Councilwoman Joseph said she would investigate whether the menu reversal would be rolled out to all city schools.

“If we’re doing a reversal, that should be across the board, it shouldn’t be some schools and not others, that’s disheartening,” she said.

“For someone who taught in schools for two decades this is very disorienting for me to hear.”

Bagel sticks, chicken drumsticks, guacamole and cookies did not survive the menu changes and don’t appear to be making a return anytime soon.

The reversal comes after city leaders provided a murky response to why the menus were changed in the first place. 

Officials claimed the cuts were a product of a series of budget cuts ordered across city agencies by Hizzoner — despite it being backfilled by federal money.

But on Monday, director of the city’s Office of Management and Budget Jacques Jiha claimed in a hearing the cuts were necessary because school lunches were becoming more popular.

“The city made some significant investment in school cafeterias. So you have a lot of children hanging out in the cafeterias now and eating more and more and more and more,” Jiha said.

“Uh, hello? Now it’s a bad thing that kids are hanging out in the cafeteria eating more? School lunch doesn’t need to be gross, and this response doesn’t cut the mustard,” state education committee chair John Liu said on social media.

The city is yet to confirm why the changes were made, why they were reversed and how they’re affording to return previously removed menu items.

Speaking to NBC New York State Senator Iwen Chu said her email inbox has been flooded since February’s meal changes — with parents and students reporting of moldy and inedible meals.

“We need to provide quality nutrition, fresh lunch — not moldy oranges or moldy cream cheese,” said Chu, who represents neighborhoods that include Sunset Park, Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights.

“It’s not acceptable with that kind of quality.”

The Post has contacted Chu and Liu for further comment.