Healthy School Lunches Research Paper

Do you let your children eat school lunches? Your answer may depend on your income level, time in the morning for lunch preparation, or your concern for your child’s health. Schools should continue in improving the nutrition of school lunches; however, physical education should also be mandatory from Kindergarten until senior year. Recommended levels of physical activity counts as increasing heart rate to breathe hard for some time of a total of sixty minutes per day, for at least five days a week (Wexler, 2010). Most schools focus on providing low calorie lunches, and although it is a fine goal in reducing childhood obesity, schools should also provide a variety of

What is does every kid look forward to during their school day? Lunch and recess. What kids eat at lunch reflects on the rest of their day. That includes energy levels, academic performance, and how much they engage. Meaning a poor lunch that is high in fats and lacking nutrition results in a sluggish child and some claim is a factor of the childhood obesity epidemic. School lunches should be reevaluated to provide students with a nutrient balance diet to help supply children with healthy brain functions to increase productivity in school, promotes beneficial future eating habits which can prevent further obesity issues in children, and it promotes an increase of attendance. To change what the schools here in the United States serve children food we have to take a deeper look into who is in charge, analyze the current standards and policies, and compare it to what a proper diet should be for children.

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

School lunches are not the epitome of meals in the world. Raising the level of nutritional output would highly increase the healthiness of the student’s body. For example, if a child were to drink only water at school the health benefits would help that student, just by cutting out the sugar and the calorie intake. If schools were to serve grilled chicken instead of fried chicken, the student would not have that extreme carb intake just from the fried part alone. Chicken and vegetables should be the entrée for most school lunches, of course, this does not allow for a great variety of meals, but the healthiness of the students would increase over time and could possibly be the healthiest thing they eat that day, but the only thing that they eat at all. The poverty in Mississippi is abundant, which may mean that children do not get three square meals a day, but maybe only one, which is at school. Therefore, the best way to affect student’s healthiness is by putting good, nutritious, and energizing food on the plate in front of

School lunches, curriculum focus, and daily activities have changed in elementary schools over the years. The nutritional value in school lunches often meet a bare minimum. Curriculum is focused strongly on idealistic future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; but often forget teaching basic healthy habits needed for lifelong health. Physical education is no longer required every single day. Obesity has become an epidemic and not just for adults, it is increasingly affecting children as well. Children spend a generous amount of time in the classroom. They spend more time in school than at home or anywhere else. Therefore, schools have a responsibility in preventing obesity in adolescents by teaching them healthy habits, serving them nutritious food, and providing them with adequate physical activity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “About one in three U.S. kids are overweight or obese”. This shows that unhealthy lunches can lead to obesity because the food they are getting for lunch has too many calories. So if the students eat healthy the number of students overweight will go down. If kids eat unhealthy, they are most likely obese and that can lead to health problems, including heart disease.

Is there such a thing as healthy school lunches? Although school lunches are not always what a child wants for lunch, they do provide the child with the accurate amount of nutrients needed (Prynne etl. 2013). However there are pros and cons to school lunches, just as there are pros and cons to packed lunches from home. This is because they both provide the child with different styles of foods. Where school lunches are required to have a certain amount of calories, packed lunches are up to the child/parent to determine what gets packed which of course determines the

We have school lunches because some children at home are not provided school lunches. Some children look forward to school lunches, because that’s all they have. Over 13 million live in insecure households with little food. Also we have school lunches because it improves academic performance. Keeping kids healthy and in shape can help them focus and learn more.

A healthier lunch change is happening across schools statewide. Schools have finally realized that students are not eating as healthy as they should be. Schools will began to have healthier students, better food choices, and be able to cut out unnecessary junk foods. If schools change to healthier lunches, students will begin to become healthier themselves. Students will receive better nutritional value from the change in their lunches. Although students will vote against the change in food, they slowly realize the school is doing this help them achieve better health. Also, students will receive better energy and bodily functions from new and improved lunches. Students will gain increased vitamins and minerals from the which they were not currently receiving Healthier lunches will bring better food choices to students. It will replace normal, unhealthy foods with more nutritious, healthier

Now that I have uncovered the reason of why school lunches is bad for children, you should join my belief. Obesity is not good for children, that causes bullying. Stomach viruses causes you to get sick and miss days of school. Thats how some people get held back because they miss days of school and don’t want to make up the work which causes them to fail classes. Children not getting enough to eat at school makes them lose energy. When they lose energy they begin to slack, then begin to fail. Something always leads to good or

68 percent of students say they buy food from the cafeteria every day. Proper nutrition is tied to better academic performance. This means that kids will not do their best in school if they are fed unhealthy lunches (Black). The unhealthy lunches kids are given at school are the main contribution to childhood obesity. According to scientists, children who eat too much fat, sugar, sodium or processed food and too few vitamins and minerals are likely to develop a higher risk over time for several chronic health problems (Angela). These health problems include heart disease, and diabetes. At this time, more than ever, 55 percent of Americans are obese and 20 percent of Americans are overweight (Three Facts About School Lunches). Many schools offer healthy choices, but they did not decrease the calories in them, and they typically still offer unhealthy snack items (Three Facts About School Lunches). In a school cafeteria with both healthy and unhealthy choices offered to kids, most kids are not willing to choose the healthier choices over the unhealthy ones. So where an apple is avoided and a bag of potato chips is selected as a child’s first choice for a snack

If students ate healthier school lunches, it would result in healthier food choices at home. Children who are provided with sugary, fatty foods at school can develop poor eating habits at home. School lunches that provide more calories than a child needs to maintain their body weight can lead to weight gain and obesity. Overeating can not only compromise the child's health, but lead to health problems in the future. Children who are overweight have increased risks of developing health problems and become obese adults. Healthy lunches with appropriate portions can help support a healthy

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

Better nutrition in schools is critical being students will eat food that is better for them. Research shows students that eat school meals are more likely to obtain a healthier weight than students that bring a lunch if the school abide National School lunch program (NSLP). This shows that school lunch is healthier by

Nutritious lunches and snacks provide children with many of the essential vitamins and minerals they require for healthy growth and development.