Controversy about school lunches seem to only happen when a child gets sick, when she complains about choice or taste, or even when vegetarian companies like PETA complain about a child eating meat. No matter how society views school lunches, is it really worth debating?
Well, it is if many children get sick often at the same school having the same continuous lunches. Schools that constantly have cooks that cook ill-prepared food are obviously where school lunch issues need to be addressed. This seems to happen more with schools that have a low budget and need to demand more help. This is one of those rare cases where the government should step in and help schools receive healthier food, rather than food they commonly refer to as prison food.
Healthy School Lunches
Who really decides what healthy school lunches are? Well, of course, the managing cook, but she has to abide by a budget and decides what to prepare. However, what exactly is healthy or unhealthy – foods with high calories, salads, fatty acids, etc…? Are pizzas and cheeseburgers really unhealthy? The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) suggests people should eat the four food groups daily. If you eat a home-made cheeseburger with pickles, you have eaten every food group (dairy-cheese; bread – buns; meat- hamburger; fruit and vegetables – pickles). Now, if you eat a salad, are you now healthier? Healthy school lunches can be a variety of what students like to eat, not what other companies want them to eat. Parents can teach their children what is healthy and what is not and teach them to eat in portions and to exercise. Obviously, you don’t want unwanted and unhealthy foods where grease becomes excessive because of poor cooking.
School Lunch Ideas for Kids
Assuming your child just doesn’t want to eat school lunches. Maybe the food tastes bad or maybe he just doesn’t want to stand in line so long and then have very little time to eat. Parents can always pack a lunch in a paper bag or lunch box. School lunch ideas for kids are the following:
- A ham sandwich, a snack, and a Caprison
- A piece of pizza, a drink, and some fruits or vegetables
- Spaghetti with sauce, some bread, and a drink
Notice that each of these school lunch ideas for kids is small and they can take their time eating. Too often, kids will eat fast because of the short lunch schedule and may result in obesity.
National School Lunch Program
Parents cannot always afford to bag lunches or even buy lunches at school, which is why there is an organization called the National School Lunch Program. It is a program where the government assists families in need so their children can eat lunch at school. A family is dependent on income level in order to receive free or reduced lunch and even sometimes breakfast. The National School Lunch Program usually helps students in need at public and not for profit private schools.
