Although our school lunches provide us with fruit/veggies, proteins, and energy; are they really healthy? Today, I am going to be talking about the different aspects of school lunches from the U.S. Schools have reported programs to help students with their lunches and everyday meals. They consist of, expanding the School Breakfast Program, Summer Meals, After School Snacks and Meals, and the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program. According to the School Nutrition Association, “…school nutrition professionals have worked to expand breakfast programs, launch summer and afterschool meal programs to meet students’ nutritional needs.” These programs are in place because 1 in 5 children in America live in households with inconsistent access to a satisfactory amount of food. The programs can be helpful for low-income/struggling families.
You may be wondering, what are the requirements for meal content and quality in schools? Well, in breakfasts and lunches, there have to be certain items that MUST be a part of school meals. School meals are required to meet certain nutritional standards. You might have heard of a healthy eating plate; in case you don’t remember what that is, it is a meal that has water, vegetables, healthy oils, fruits, healthy proteins, and whole grains. School Meals FAQs says, “The standards align school meals with the latest nutrition science and real-world circumstances of America’s schools.” Even though school meals are supposed to meet these standards, sometimes it is hard to believe that they do, between all the grease and overly processed content.
Student and Principle Q&A:
Questions:
- What is your favorite school lunch?
- What is your honest opinion of school lunches?
- If you could change one thing about school lunches what would it be?
- What’s one good thing about school lunches?
- What’s one bad thing about school lunches?
- What do you think the most unhealthy school lunch is?
Student #1:
- Favorite school lunch: Pasta with meat sauce.
- They think that school lunches are just okay.
- They said that they would change the quality of the food.
- One good thing about school lunches is they incorporate foods you need, like fruits/veggies.
- One thing that the student thinks is bad about the school lunches is that they truly don’t have much nutritional value. They also added that a lot of people with dietary restrictions or people who have issues with any food, won’t always get the nutrients they need.
- Most unhealthy school lunch: Pizza due to grease.
Student #2:
- Favorite food: Nachos
- They think that the school food could be better.
- They would want to find a more efficient way to get lunch and make it through the lunch lines.
- One thing that they said was good about the school lunches is they typically taste pretty okay.
- One bad thing is they are usually are very greasy.
- Most unhealthy school lunch: Mac n’ Cheese.
Student #3:
- Favorite food: Chicken alfredo
- They believe the school food is good.
- They would get rid of the hot dogs.
- One good thing about school lunches is the pasta.
- One bad thing is the garlic bread.
- Most unhealthy school lunch: Pizza
Student #4:
- Favorite food: Chicken patty
- They think that the school food is good most of the time.
- They said that they would add more options.
- One good thing is they are always cooked right, not overcooked and not undercooked.
- One bad thing is that the lunches are sometimes dry.
- Most unhealthy school lunch: Waffles
Principle Mr. Lizzote:
- Favorite school lunches: Turkey dinner or stir fry chicken
- His honest opinion of school lunches is they do a great job of providing many healthy quality lunches.
- If he could change one thing about school lunches he would add a soup and salad bar.
- One good thing about school lunches is there are many options and something for everyone if they look.
- One bad thing is sometimes if you are near the end of the line, the grab-and-go items may be limited and you may not get what you want.
- Most unhealthy school lunch: Pizza
In conclusion, school lunches in the U.S. have many pros and cons. Our school, Oakmont Regional High School, also has many pros and cons with its food. I would like to thank the four students who allowed me to use their answers in my article and I would also like to thank Mr. Lizotte for taking time out of his day to answer my questions. A special thanks to the Oakmont kitchen staff for providing us with food every day!
