Fresh and healthy food
I do think it is better for students to “discover what they love to eat” instead of adults at their school “telling them what they should eat.” When I was in elementary school, I would see my friends grab an apple or some type of vegetable because it was mandatory. At the end of the period, they would throw it out because they didn’t even want it in the first place. I believe that if a child is forced to complete a task, they cannot decide for themselves and pick up those healthy habits in the end.
— Carla Luna, Glenbard West HS Glen Ellyn, IL
Although I rarely eat their lunch, many of my friends eat it everyday. I have noticed that there is always Pizza and fries. I believe that a menu like this is extremely unhealthy for us and puts us into a habit of eating it without realizing its unhealthy because we are presented with these limited options. Programs like these should interfere in all schools and reach especially young children so they are aware and used to the healthy aspects of eating. It’s our right to suggest and customize healthy options in the school’s lunch menu because we are the ones to eat.
— Ayesha Mozum, Glenbard West HS Glen Ellyn, IL
If other countries around the world can make beautiful looking meals for their students, America can most definitely do so too. If only we invested more in the well-being of children than two trillion in weaponry, a third of children wouldn’t be obese. I think what America needs to do is to start spending its money on organic foods over weapons. While redoing every single public school in the country is outrageous, bringing in fresher food options is more reasonable. An idea to start is having students send in recipes or the names of meals, then a polling process for the whole district using the main suggestions could be used to create a whole new menu. After the new menu, a good business can be in charge of making the food for the schools in the district. It’s a perfect solution to a seemingly impossible conundrum.
— Simone Cronier, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
Creative alternatives
Although we are in high school, my peers would rather go hungry than eat their vegetables and fruits. So much food and hard work are wasted as they selfishly throw them away. I think that the menu has to change to combat this wasteful eating, not the kids themselves. Like the article suggested, my friends would much rather eat soups made from vegetables rather than eating them plain. Chances are that they would at least try the soup just because it is new to the menu. Even though the soups would contain the vegetables that are usually thrown away, the students would not even know they are eating them. They would ultimately be being tricked into eating their vegetables, just like their parents did to them as a kid.
— Harrison Carter, Hoggard High School
Through electives I have taken as a high schooler, such as culinary arts, I can attest to the wonders that come with putting work and effort into creating something yourself to consequently value that creation much more. I used to be a very picky eater, however after giving myself the initiative to prepare food for myself in class, I very quickly was able to expand the amount of healthy foods I would genuinely enjoy eating. I think this same effect is occurring with the children participating in these food programs. They grow their own vegetables, are given choices in regards to how they eat these foods, and thus value these foods so much more than they would have if the adults had done all the work themselves.
— Omar V, Glenbard West, Glen Ellyn, IL
Longer lunch periods
My biggest grievance with lunches isn’t the bad food, or the lack of choice, or even the smell. It’s the short lunches we’re stuck with now. A few years ago, the whole school had a ~45 minute lunch where you could get tutoring, go to clubs, eat, and hang out with friends, all in the same period. It was great. Fast forward 2 years, and we aren’t even allowed to eat outside during our 25-minute lunches. The cafeteria is always way too crowded, and the lines are insane. There is so much more I could do if lunch was just a little bit longer, or if the lines were just a little bit shorter.
— Ryder Klein, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
When I was in middle school we had about 20 minutes of lunch. It took about half that time to get through the lunch line. I remember my friends staying at our table and not going through the line to just sit, relax, and talk. Making sure there is enough time for kids to socialize and eat is very important. More kids will take the time to go through the lunch line and less food will get thrown out at the end of the day.
