School Lunches In Schools

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History of the Problem
Across the United States the issues surrounding school lunches have been talked about for years, yet there is still so much that still needs to be done. Children’s diets are not up to par with nutritional standards and school is a main source of food for students. Kids eat at school 180 days of the year. This affects their eating habits significantly whether they purchase the school lunches or not. Studies have shown, “The top four sources of calories in the average American child's diet are grain-based desserts, pizza, soda and sports drinks, and bread. One-third eat fast food every single day. More than 90 percent don't eat enough vegetables” (Siegel). This affects students in various ways through their academic …show more content…
Because of this, correcting the problem doesn’t necessarily have to come from within the lunch system and the food that is served. According to the article, “The Real Problem with Lunch”, “each year, our children are bombarded by around $2 billion in child-directed food and beverage advertising, much of which promotes the least healthy products” (Siegel). Advertisements like this cause children to want junk food even more than they already do. Often at a younger age, kids and teens don’t realize what they are putting into their body unless they see a result or weight gain or another health problem that could be directly related. This causes them to binge on junk food, which is an extremely unhealthy habit. If students see these ads at home or at various events and get into a routine of eating this way, they will bring these habits with them into the cafeteria. By limiting the emphasis on unhealthy food ads, students may be more open to different foods. To aid this process, students could also have a required nutrition class to take. It is shown that a significant struggle in improving school lunch programs is student resistance, so by opening students up to different foods, they will become more familiar with what is served in the cafeteria (Bruske). This nutrition class could focus more on trying different healthier substitutes for …show more content…
As students learn about new styles of eating and adopt unfamiliar eating habits, they will improve their lifestyle all around. Studies show that 15% of children and teens are overweight and the number is increasing by the year (Harkin). If students maintain these new eating habits, they will take them with them through their lives, improving their healthy and overall well being. As of 2016, “The top four sources of calories in the average American child’s diet are grain-based desserts, pizza, soda and sports drinks, and bread...More than 90 percent don’t eat enough vegetables” (Siegel). By familiarizing students with new foods that still taste good and different ways they can incorporate vegetables in their diet, this could change significantly. These adjustments in eating could be incorporporated into the families of students. As students learn to enjoy these diverse foods, they will eat them at home as well, teaching this lifestyle to their siblings and parents as well. As students are brought up with healthier eating habits their behavior and academic performance will be boosted (Greene). Seeing results like this in their mood and school work will encourage them to keep up with their habits as well. These eating habits will influence students’ families along with rest of the school district, creating a healthier
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