Should Lunches Be Allowed In Schools

One of the most controversial issues today is the question of how to address childhood obesity. Because of the large proportion of meals that children, particularly low-income children, consume in schools, cafeteria food has been targeted by dietary reformers as in need of a major overhaul. However, while many different types of new school menus have been proposed, the extent to which healthier foods can be offered remains controversial. Opponents to reform state that children will not eat healthier lunches, and that changing the food that children eat will have minimal impact, since the children will either bring food from home or eat food at home that is more 'kid friendly.'

Children in America are faced with different choices every day. Some of these choices can be either good or bad for them. But these children don't really know the consequences of their actions, but the school does. Schools are serving unhealthy and un properly cooked meals to children every single day. These food companies make big money from these schools because the schools just buy the lunches so the kids will eat something. The schools don't really care what goes into the students stomachs, but as long as the school meets the requirements it's okay. Then the students just eat it because it looks and taste good, but they don't have an idea of what their eating is made out of or where it has been before. The government needs to start making school lunches more healthy for these students, if not then then unfortunately the number of obese children will rise.

Because children tend to choose foods that taste great but are not so healthy for their bodies, the problem of child obesity has been brought up. But despite this, many school districts deny the requests to lower serving portions and to add in more vegetables and fruits, because it would be too costly. (Reinburg) It’s true that improving school lunches won’t solve the problem but it has long been a part of the problem and taking a step forward is an improvement. (Reinburg)

Since 2009 Schools have been improving there healthy choices of food like fresh fruits and salad bars,but those foods take longer to eat (Hellmich). Turning school lunches into an actual sit down meal rather than a feeding frenzy is a good way of improving health (Parker-Pope). Students usually have less than 20 minutes to eat lunch which makes it less likely for them to choose the healthy choice (Elsevier). Kids often like to eat there favorite foods first,not giving them enough time to eat the healthy food (Hellmich). An increase in school lunches could encourage students to eat the healthier choice(5 Elsevier). School nutritionist suggest that students need to have atlas 20 minutes to eat (Hellmich). Research shows that when people consume meals faster they take in more calories because they get hungry sooner (Chen). The shorter lunch periods are starting to lead to more and more obese and overweight kids ( Hellmich). Doctors are saying there are more and more kids getting diabetes and other illnesses due to the lunches and something needs to be done about it

Offering sufficient amounts of nutritious food in schools is more significant than many comprehend. Students who consume full, nourishing meals for breakfast and lunch benefit

School lunches at your local elementary, middle, and high school may not be healthy and nutritious as it seems and the taste does not make it any better. We should want our children to strive in everything, not just academics. School lunch programs needs to focus on giving the children

What is this food doing to our children? The childhood obesity epidemic has increased because of the contribution of junk food that is being served in public schools. It has been found that children who eat fatty school foods are more likely to become obese than those who brought lunch from home. Why is this we may ask has a lot to do with the above student that I stated brought their lunch from home daily. You can count the intake of calories that is in your lunchbox but you have no idea what is in the food from you school, half of the time you will not even know what the food is. Also, the specials that are provided for students on special food days increases their calorie intake as well such as; pizza day or wing day. On these days children have shown to intake more food because these are the days that they provide greasy foods that taste swell and the children like them so they will gravitate to them because they do not have the proper knowledge to know what this food can do to your body.

Grades K-5 are served a maximum of 650 calories, grades 6-8 700 calories, and grades 9-12 receive a maximum of 850 calories (“Federal Nutrition Standards for School Meals”). This leaves many students hungry. While it is hard to accommodate each child individually, your average active child that is involved in sports and other extra-curricular activities, is going to require more calories to maintain their weight than an overweight or obese child who needs to lose weight. Left hungry and unfulfilled, those student will move on to vending machines and a la carte to satisfy their hunger. Limiting the amount of calories served doesn’t necessarily solve the issue. Eating more calories than necessary of a healthy food choice, is a much better alternative than eating the right amount of calories but choosing a poor food

While reading this article my viewpoint was challenged. Childhood obesity in the United States and school lunches have always seemed to go hand in hand because of all the national attention public school have been receiving within the past ten or so years. However, the studies that Sloviter provided made clear suggestions that school lunches in the United States may not be so terrible or unhealthy as I have been assuming. It is still slightly odd that this is so, considering in my previous research statistics have shown American school lunches to be high in fats, carbs, and sugars.

Nationally, about 17% of people under the age of 20, about 12.5 million are considered obese. School districts that serve students food that are high in calories and fat are to blame for the growing numbers of obese children. Although school lunches provide students food at minimal costs, the poor quality of food served delivers inadequate nutrition and is responsible for the rising numbers of obese minors in the United States. In order to combat this growing problem, school districts must limit student choices in the lunchroom and provide healthier food nationally. Although some school districts may argue this, it is necessary to do so as school districts in Pennsylvania and Mississippi and university studies support this claim.

The school system claims that they offer sufficient nutrients and flavor in the meals they provide. But, according to an online study 15 percent of 13-15 year old girls are obese and 14 percent of 13-15 year old boys are obese and school lunches are hurting, not helping this matter. Also, according to,”Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and the Healthy School Lunch Campaign,”"school foods are too rich in saturated fat and cholesterol." Schools argue that students are better off getting a

Have you, ever wanted to know why your school lunch tastes the way it does? Yes? Well if you have then it’s time that you find out what is REALLY in it. I believe that not all of the schools in the U.S. have a very low quality in their cafeterias but, the ones that do got investigated by the USDA because, of their food content that they serve. Most people should question the type of food that is in schools some of the types of food they serve are pizza, chicken nuggets, nachos, hamburgers, etc. (Just to name a few that they serve) To improve school lunches the U.S. should go to more schools and see if they are up to par. It is a known fact that most schools have many obese children in schools.

School lunches in america are unhealthy for our children. There is not enough nutrient value for a child to last a full day without getting hungry. Studies show that 6/10 students go home saying they're hungry. Athletes tend to pass out during activity because lack of nutrient value. It is very important that students get enough amount of food at school because some kids can't afford dinner at home.

While studies have and will always continue to be conducted all over the world regarding school lunch programs and their effect on children’s health, one study in the Michigan area concluded some alarming statistics. Children who ate school lunch compared to children who did not eat school lunch were more likely to be overweight, and have higher levels of cholesterol

The problem is that kids don’t know the dangers of eating unhealthy food. In a quote said by Bittman that by “improving our diet it can improve our health and save tens of millions of lives”(Bittman 75). Just by changing the school lunch into healthy things it could change many lives. To get more healthy food the school can work with farmers and grocery stores to get more healthy food. Even though school serves some health food it may not be that fresh, and we need, to take more action to it. Also send a letter to the parents to help encourage their child's eating habit. To make school lunch more healthy take-out unhealthy snacks and drinks then put water. Jane Brody said that “It's a $24 billion industry just for kids alone”(Dr. Gortmaker 82). By encouraging good eating, it could help bring down the company that doesn’t care about people's health and just about money. “A 20% tax increase of