Delicious and Nutritious: An Examination of School Lunch
Stef Antonopoulos. Uploaded 9/26/15
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Growing up, school lunches have changed before my eyes. In elementary school, the hot dogs and chicken nuggets were so processed that they bounced. In middle school, we were introduced to healthier food options, such as, cups of watermelon, cups of celery and carrots, and a salad bar. In college, there is a huge variety of healthy foods, but also many unhealthy food options.
All of these food options and choices are dictated by the USDA. The rising rates of childhood obesity are astounding. First Lady Michelle Obama has tried to take action in reducing childhood obesity by creating the National School Lunch Program which poses food restrictions on children. School nutritionists have gathered that this may not be in the best interest of the children. Furthermore, many children have expressed that this program has left them with tasteless options. Parents also have been involved in this debate since they are providers and dictators of what goes into their children’s mouths. However, Michelle Obama would like to continue to reinforce this act. Many people are against it, but it is in the best interest of children’s health.
Why are children throwing away healthy food?
Since 2014, Michelle Obama has been trying to impose the National School Lunch Program, a program where students are restricted to eating certain amounts of foods and receiving a specific amount of fruits and vegetables; however, students are not purchasing school lunches due to their limited food options. In the article Michelle Obama’s Federal Forced Foods Stir Controversy, it states that Michelle Malkin head of a food bank blogged, “School Nutrition Association’s findings — almost half of school meal programs reported declines in revenue in the 2012-13 school year.” The schools throughout the U.S. are losing money because Obama’s proposed plan is not giving freedom to the children. This plan limits the children and does not appeal to them.
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Not only do students purchase less school lunches and schools are losing their revenue, but the children throw away the food as well; food waste has increased ever since the National School Lunch Program was enforced in schools. According to the same article, the Los Angeles Times reported, “Students throw out at least $100,000 worth of food a day.” Students are not consuming the healthy foods that they are receiving because they deem it to be tasteless or not appealing. Therefore, the National School Lunch Program is unsuccessful because its purpose is to feed the students healthier lunches; if they are not eating the healthy components of the lunches, the whole program is going to waste. If this continues, food service director David Binkle says, “[The food waste] amounts to $18 million a year — based on a conservative estimate of 10% food waste.” Many students are throwing away their parents’ tax money into the garbage along with the food. In all honesty, it is more than just tax money, it is their nutrition which is important in order for them to grow and be healthy.
How will we get children to eat their fruits and vegetables?
This controversy on healthy school lunches seems hopeless for Michelle Obama’s hopes and dreams of a healthier America. However, many people associated with school lunches have given her feedback that could be useful in adjusting her plan.
Mills, Amanda. “boy eating beef chili with taco chips chocolate milk and pudding free photo.” 4/13/15 via Public Domain Images. Public Domain License.
To begin, the program could be more successful if it is accepted by the school nutritionists. In the article Michelle Obama’s ‘Healthy’ Lunches, nutritionists are opposed to the bill. When interviewed they requested, “strict sodium and whole-grain rules be rolled back, as well as the requirement that kids must take either a fruit or a vegetable with their lunch.” These strict rules lead to the children’s waste. The children are forced to take foods that they do not like, and these foods end up in the trash. The school nutritionists have noticed a connection between the strict food guidelines and the amount of food waste. They fear that if she does not adjust her plan, the amount of food waste will only continue. If Obama was to make this small adjustment, there would be less food waste according to those opposing the situation. However, even Obama wants to adjust the meal plan. Therefore, there will be a change.
Is there any hope for the ‘healthier’ lunches?
Despite the amassed amounts of food waste that the children have created due to the healthier options, there have been improvements as well. In the article New Healthy School Lunches Stirs Controversy, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health reported, “...entree and vegetable consumption increased by about 16 percent each in 2012, compared to a year earlier.” After some time, it appears that students are consuming more food than before and wasting less. In addition, the same researchers stated, “...fruit [consumption] increased from 53 percent in 2011 to 76 percent in 2012.” An increase in food consumption is excellent news for Michelle Obama and the schools because there is less food going to waste; moreover, there will be less money going to waste as well.
Years later, lunches have become healthier. According to Foods and beverages offered in US public secondary schools through the National School Lunch Program from 2011–2013: Early evidence of improved nutrition and reduced disparities, increased amount of students attended schools with healthy foods and beverages by 2013. In other words, the healthier lunches have been a small success, but only after a few years. If this success were to have begun sooner, the food waste could have been prevented. However, this is in a sense like the light at the end of the tunnel because there is a small hope emerging and it could spread even more as time goes on.
Public Domain Pictures. “Fruit Face Kid Banana Smile Fresh.” 9/13/14 via pixabay. CC0 Public Domain License.
Also, there has been an increase in healthier lunches, and a decrease in childhood obesity. According to the article School Lunches Becoming Healthier, Statistics Indicate,
senior associate at the Food Trust in Philadelphia, Deb Bentzel commented on the faces of the students ordering lunch at school, “It’s brighter, it’s healthier-looking, it’s fresher.” The influx of student eating the healthier lunches has created a visible difference in their health, and the experts are beginning to notice. With the decline of child obesity continuing, many more schools could begin to start seeing visible results as well. In the same article, the author stated, “Mostly gone are the days of white bread and canned corn.” This would be a relief to Michelle Obama. Finally, schools are accepting the guidelines she imposted. With the decrease of sodium, students will continue to live healthier lives, and maybe more schools will begin to take part.
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In relation to the decline in childhood obesity, children are starting to enjoy their healthy lunches. In Healthy School Lunches Might Not Actually Gross Students Out, Say Surveys, many students are beginning to get accustomed over time to their healthier lunches and enjoying them more than before. When asked about the student’s liking of the healthier school lunches, majority of elementary school workers said, “[students] generally like the new lunch.” Despite students previously disliking the healthier school lunch options, students now enjoy the lunch more than before. Due to the schools’ adding more vegetables and healthier new options to their menus, more students are able to find foods that please them.
Lastly, the USDA has witnessed significant increased in revenue in the year 2014. In the USDA’s tweet, they claimed, “...schools saw a net nationwide revenue increase from school lunches of approximately $450M.” More students are buying lunches from school now. This is a good sign because it could mean that students are finally accepting the healthier school lunches.
Unfortunately, the children still do not see the huge issues of healthier school lunches. In the article ‘A Concerned 8-Year-Old Citizen’ Writes Brutal Letter to Michelle Obama, a worried eight-year old, Peter, writes a letter addressed to First Lady Michelle Obama expressing his confusion as to why healthier school lunches are being made into such a big issue when there are bigger issues occurring over our borders. He later stated, “It all started because he saw something about school lunches [and] how ketchup is bad for you, and that Michelle Obama wants to limit the amount of ketchup.” He thinks that ketchup is such a small health issue for Obama to dwell on. 
As he touches on later, he thinks that there are more important issues in the Middle East. In the letter, he wrote, “I also think you should stop doing nothing and send some troops to the Middle East”. He thinks that Obama is doing nothing because healthy lunches are minor. The school lunch controversy is considered to be “nothing” to Peter because it is more important to send troops to the Middle East because it concerns the safety of people. Hopefully, other students do not share such extreme opposition to the program. It is known that many students are against it, but they have not voiced their opinions like Peter; however, students have the ability and right to fight against the program. It could create many problems and slow down the progress of the program.
Why should we care?
Child obesity is a terrible disease that has plagued the United States. These rates have increased due to consumption of nutrient-poor foods, fast foods, and processed foods. Kids today consume higher amounts of these foods because they more readily available to them in their school’s cafeteria. Many children are also suffering due to their parents poor meal decisions for them, but children tend to spend most of their day at school. Therefore, the school needs to be held accountable for this as well. Students have refused to cooperate with Michelle Obama’s National School Lunch Program in the past. However, children have been warming up to it more as time has passed. If these trends of increased revenue, decreased waste, and increased child enjoyment for healthy food continue, Obama’s plan will succeed and possibly, childhood obesity will be eliminated as well.
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