The education system must provide the right tools for students to be able to succeed. The most vital tool is providing free school lunches for students. Without proper nutrition, students would be unable to focus on their schoolwork leading to failure. Schools need to provide lunches that meet students’ needs by giving them a variety of options at a fraction of the cost helping to alleviate financial stress for parents while still managing to follow the guidelines of a healthy meal. This would then provide a path in which students would have one less thing to worry about, making them more likely to have a healthy and successful life.
Students' culture and values integrate into what they consume. Schools have taken into consideration those components and have altered the school lunch to match their preferences. For instance, in January 2014, the California Department of Education demonstrated how the Jewish community would be benefited from alternations that were implemented. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service declared “During the religious observance of Passover, Jewish agencies from the enrichment and whole grain portions of the CNP grain requirements” (Nutrition Service Division). Since religion obligates students to subsequently change their eating patterns due to required ceremonies, institutions must be flexible in the choices they provide. Moreover, schools provide with options that are substitutes for the foods that are restricted for some. For example, the Nutrition Service Division explains “Serve vegetables in place of dark green vegetables that come from red and orange vegetables or beans and peas subgroups” (Variations in Meals for Religious Reasons). To further prove that schools accommodate students’ preferences, they also provide additional options to substitute the food they would originally eat. Nevertheless, schools can change their menus to provide students with the appropriate lunch that is to their liking.
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Most prominently seen today, financial crises could arise which could cause many to be put into a financial struggle leading to the need for free school lunches. For instance, the year 2020 was a year like no other, in the sense that many students’ parents did not have money to provide for food, because the COVID-19 pandemic caused them to lose their jobs. Many parents depended on a school to give them lunch which would take some weight off their shoulders. To prove this, an article titled “Should all American kids get a free school lunch? The pandemic might make that a reality”, states “The Cares Act $600 unemployment benefit ended this week and moratoriums on eviction are lifting many places on Saturday.” (Reiley). Once the pressure to pay debt and bills start to pile up, parents would have to figure out how to provide food for their children. However, schools are willing to provide students with free school lunches as expressed by Regie Ross, the SNA president, in the article which asserts “With so many families struggling…during the pandemic, millions more students will depend on consistent, daily access to school meals this fall.” (qt. in Reiley). More than ever, free school lunches are necessary since students and parents cannot tolerate the financial pressure, they have accumulated because of the pandemic. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic started, families were heavily relying on free school lunches that would feed their children on a regular basis. In brief, financially easing the worries of families during a time in which finding a job is extremely difficult, can make free school lunches seem like a positive outcome in this dreadful situation.
Schools have established that simply providing free school lunches is not enough. Critically, nutrition is the most important element which must be carefully thought of and implemented. This said, schools have not taken this lightly and have invested money and time into helping this cause. For example, the USDA along with other organizations will be providing millions of dollars for schools to acquire the proper tools to be able to achieve a balanced meal. Thus, as revealed by the USDA News Release, “…$5.6 million will go to help states expand and enhance food service training programs and provide nutrition education in school, childcare, and summer meal settings.” (USDA Awards $8 Million to Support Healthier Foods in Schools…). Although it is not an easy task to provide nutritional lunches for all students, operations are constantly trying to provide with the necessary resources to support the means of achieving a nutritious lunch. Even though it is not an easy task the USDA has provided the education system with capable staff that will ensure the best results. Apart from providing a staff that will implement changes to make a nutritious meal, there will also be changes in the environment that will promote in making healthier decisions. The government source reveals “…the Oregon Department of Education will use the grant funds to hold 10 Smarter Lunchroom workshops on strategies for arranging the lunchroom that promotes healthy choices.” (USDA Awards $8 Million to Support Healthier Foods in Schools…). Even though it is a tedious task to give the education system the appropriate supplies to provide students with a nourishing meal, they are keen to invest as much money to make it work. Nevertheless, the nutrition aspect of school food is not taken easily. Schools know the importance that a free meal could make throughout the day and helps the cause by investing time and money to obtain the best results.
Despite this, many people suppose that school food consists of unhealthy food and pay little to no attention to fruit and vegetable intake. To illustrate, Dorren Klausnitzer reasons “…the amount of fast food appearing on lunch trays has alarmed nutritionists, educators and parents alike.” (School Lunches Heavy on French Fries, Light on Nutrition). This helps support the idea that people believe that schools implement no rules that limit the unhealthy food provided to the students. To further support this, Karen E. Stout explains “We capitulate to the fast-food mentality of the kids” (qt. in Klausnitzer). This gives schools and the government a purpose to provide students with unhealthy lunch choices, despite knowing it is not a wise decision to make. Lastly, the newspaper “School Lunches Heavy on French Fries, Light on Nutrition”, provides a testimony of Jerry Jones, a student that consumes school lunch on a regular basis he expresses “I eat normal things like fries, school pizza, burgers or chicken patties.” (qt. in Klausnitzer). This strongly emphasizes the idea that students have developed a mentality in which they are strongly inclined to believe that junk food is something that is not harmful and should be consumed every day. The equilibrium between healthy food and junk food is strongly argued about. Many believe that providing free school lunches will cause the growth of health problems by not regulating and by having other intents, such as money making, influencing their decision.
That is an understandable concern; however, they fail to oversee the fact that the government would soon notice these concerns. This would result in an immediate call to action to implement laws and guidelines that would better the situation. A recent essay edited by David Haugen and Susan Musser, thoroughly explains how there are many myths surrounding the quality of food, schools serve. For example, Haugen and Musser note “Meals served under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) must, by federal law, meet nutrition guidelines based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” (“School Lunch Programs Encourage Proper Nutrition”). Nevertheless, schools cannot simply provide school lunch that is to their preference. Educational institutions must follow specific rules that manage to meet the requirements of foods that should be provided to every student. Additionally, schools have one goal in mind when they offer a nutritious lunch, and that is to avoid health issues along with developing bad eating habits. When students pack their own school lunches, they are more likely to include foods into their diet that are detrimental to their wellness. In contrast, when the school provides lunches, they are able to control some of the unhealthy food intake leading to a healthy diet. As the essay informs, “…students who eat meals served through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are more likely to be at a healthy weight.” (Haugen and Susan). This goes to show how schools can make an enormous impact on student’s health since they are providing them with healthy options. Laws and regulations have been placed to avoid the overconsumption of foods that can be harmful in the long run. Even though people believe that schools have no rules that make the idea of a balanced meal work, the reality is that the government has a strict idea of what healthy food should be and schools must follow the given guidelines.
In the end, schools should not be given flexibility in deciding whether students should receive free school lunches. Free school lunches are not an option for many. Several students have values they have to uphold due to religion or personal preference. However, due to the economic situation, COVID-19 has presented to society, many parents do not have the capability to adapt to their children’s preferences much less have a choice in purchasing ingredients that are critical in making a balanced meal. Schools have shown that they can be adaptable to students’ preferences while still maintaining a nutritious meal. Not only would they be helping millions of students, but they would also guide parents into a path in which they are less economically burdened by the situation the pandemic has caused.
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