Is a cafeteria lunch a safe, healthy, delicious alternative that surpasses the old fashioned packed lunch? The burgers, pizza, and various items that students eat each day in their school's cafeteria do not have the nutritional value that's needed for the growing child or adolescent. Some parents just assume that the lunches fulfill their child's everyday needs. All that individuals know before the meal is being served is what it is; there are no nutrition facts or ingredients listed. Schools are being regulated in what is being served in the cafeteria. Some schools don't even serve desserts anymore since they are lacking in nutritional value.
I've heard of some schools having food from McDonalds and other major fast food chains in their schools. To me, that seems completely unneccessary. People wonder why the childhood and teenage obesity rates keep rising, yet they don't see that the food served in the cafeteria is a reason. Even if some children don't get a healthy meals at home, they should at least be guaranteed one at school. School is a place for education, which is precisely why I believe that students should be aware of what their lunches are composed of and the nutritional value of each meal. At least with a packed lunch, students get to choose how many calories they will consume in one sitting. Unfortunately, routinely packing a lunch takes time out of the day, which some teenagers don't have due to homework overload, part time jobs, and after school activities. Honestly, is it that much to ask to have a healthy meal each day and even nutrition facts or ingredients listed on the menu? As a student, I believe that we at least have the right to know exactly what we are putting into our mouthes before we take that first bite.
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At my old school they always had healthy alternatives such as salad or fruit available. But I do agree most kids get a goatrade and pizza eveyday. - vey unhealthy. (My current school dose not provide lunches.) It is hard for teens to make healthy choices - well for anybody i suppose.
- Jennee
" You cant always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might get what you need"
http://www.brickfish.com/Jennee
One of my favorite teachers started a boycott of the cafeteria food. And I really wish the boycott had never happened.
Sure the food isn't healthy, but the healthy food isn't really "good" either. Salads? I LOVE salads... but look at the ones offered in school and I'd rather starve. Vegetables look like pig slop. etc, etc...
Because of the whole health kick- vending machines were removed from our school. As an AP student (and a loser senior with a basically full schedule)- I don't have a lunch period. Now we're not even allowed to go into the lunch room to get any sort of sustaining food. I basically really do starve. And bringing food from home isn't really an option for most, and it's not for me. So I'd rather have unhealthy than nothing at all.
There talking about taking vending machines out of my old school. I home school now. I still think it's wrong though. The school lunches they serve aren't healthy either. Talk about being hypocrits.