Today, this month's edition of Food Network Magazine landed in the magazine rack of my Libby e-reader, courtesy of the Ottawa Public Library. One article—"Let's Talk School Lunch"—asked eight chefs for their answer to a series of questions about school lunches.

Best chef response: "I'd put meat, veggies, sauces and bread in foil or bags, then build the sandwich at the lunch table." — Jeff Mauro

My response: We mostly had sandwiches in elementary school—often bologna but also more exotic flavours like pimento loaf and mock chicken. On occasion, I would take a packet of Lipton Cup-a-Soup. The teacher would boil water in a kettle, and pour it into cups for those of us who had brought the little envelopes of bright yellow powder with bits of noodles or dried vegetables in it.

Best chef response: "Strawberry-frosted Pop-tarts." — Tyler Florence

My response: The most memorable lunch in elementary school was a communal soup we made, possibly modeled on the fable of the Stone Soup. Each student brought something for the soup: a carrot, a stalk of celery, a potato. We chopped up everything and put it in a big pot to cook. Having real soup at school seemed like such a treat.

Best chef response: "When my school served Thanksgiving. Kids could invite someone, and my grandpa came every year." — Katie Lee Biegel

My response: When I attended Carleton University, the cafeteria closest to the St. Patrick's Building where the Journalism classes were held served cherry cheesecake in huge portions (about 6"x3"); my friend and I would split one every week before our three-hour class.

Best chef response: "Grilled steak with chimichurri and avocado salsa." — Geoffrey Zakarian

My response: Assuming I have access to a microwave, I would take vegan pink pasta (penne in a spicy tomato sauce thickened with cashew cream, garnished with fresh basil) along with steamed vegetables.

Best chef response: "My first big crush asked me to eat lunch with him on the lawn. Nothing like trying to take elegant bites of a sloppy joe!" — Alex Guarnaschelli

My response: After every graduation ceremony in high school, refreshments were served in the cafeteria. The first time I saw black olives, I thought they would taste just like the pimento-stuffed green olives that I was used to. They didn't. These black olives were not the salty Kalamata ones I came to love as an adult. No, these were the poor cousin that came in a can. I still can't abide them.

Perhaps the most memorable thing about my school lunches was homemade sweets. My mom made two desserts every day: one for us to enjoy after supper and the other for us to take in our school lunches the next day. I never realized how lucky we were.