Are School Meals Promoting Health?
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DescriptionAn article exploring the realities of school lunches and if they promote a healthy lifestyle.
MessageThank you to all cafeteria staff!
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Los Angeles TimesThe National School Lunch Program provides lunches for students nationwide at extremely low costs. This program ensures that students have access to food while at school. In today’s world, it is more important than ever to encourage students to eat healthily. But since school lunches are inexpensive and designed to be stored for long periods, does that affect their nutritional value? Sugar and sodium are two of the most recognized factors contributing to an unhealthy diet—but are school meals part of the problem?
The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) sets standard requirements for every food product sold or provided by an official company or institution. However, some of these requirements don’t align with current nutritional guidelines. A product may meet FDA standards and still not be a healthy option. While the FDA is responsible for food safety and helping consumers make informed decisions, nutritional value isn’t always guaranteed. Consider this: if a student eats both breakfast and lunch provided by their school, and each meal contains the maximum amount of allowed sodium, they would consume 1,650 mg of sodium out of the 2,300 mg recommended daily for teens aged 14 and older. A typical American dinner contains about 800 mg, which brings the total to 2,450 mg- already over the limit. This doesn’t even account for snacks, which are common among students. Most processed and packaged foods contain high levels of sodium because it helps preserve the food, further increasing sodium intake throughout the day.
As of now, there are no limits on added sugars in school-provided breakfasts or lunches. While natural sugars, such as those found in fruits, can be beneficial in small amounts, added sugars are artificial and offer no nutritional benefit. These should be consumed as little as possible. According to Harvard Medical, “the American Heart Association suggests that women consume no more than 100 calories (about six teaspoons or 24 grams) and men no more than 150 calories (about nine teaspoons or 36 grams) of added sugar per day. That’s about the same amount found in a 12-ounce can of soda.” While this may sound manageable, the issue is not the sugar itself—it’s the fact that the FDA does not place any limits on added sugar in school-provided meals, leaving students vulnerable to excessive intake.
Your body requires a daily intake of several key nutrients, including protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B-12, and omega-3 fatty acids. Most school-provided lunches only contain two or three of these. If a student relies on school for both breakfast and lunch, they may not be getting the full range of nutrients they need. A lack of essential nutrients can lead to several health issues over time, such as a weakened immune system, fatigue or low energy, muscle breakdown, and an increased risk of malnutrition. Although these problems usually develop after extended periods of poor nutrition, they highlight how critical consistent, nutrient-rich meals are—especially for students. The National Center For Health Statistics reports that in 2018, 19.3% of children ages 2-19 were obese, and 6.1% had severe obesity. While we cannot place full responsibility on school meals, it's clear that schools must play a more proactive role in helping students develop and maintain healthy eating habits.
Michael Noks, the Food Service Director for the Monomoy Regional School District, shared his perspective on school meal nutrition. When asked whether the nutritional value of school-provided meals concerns him, he said: “I wouldn't say worry—do I think about it? Yes, I do. But I strive to provide the best nutritional breakfast and lunch possible. Is this always easy? Definitely not, but it’s worth it to do the best I can with the tools I have at my disposal.” Noks emphasized that the FDA plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety and public health, but he also noted that FDA standards alone do not create a truly healthy lifestyle. He shared a powerful point about equity and access: “Massachusetts is currently only one of eight states in the country (more states are working toward this) that provides free breakfast and lunches to students, no matter the financial background. So I feel these programs are very beneficial as they give every student the option to enjoy school breakfast and lunch for free. And there is evidence that well-nourished students perform better academically.” Noks also stressed that while schools can offer healthy options, they cannot control what students choose to eat: “I do believe the overall goal of the program is to provide the tools and framework for schools to offer healthy options. At the end of the day, we can't force students to pick healthy options. We are a school district, so that means teaching and educating what we think would benefit them when it comes to nutrition. But at the end of the day, the student will make their own decisions.”
It's not reasonable to expect schools to serve salads and protein-dense meals every day, but it is important to make nutritious food consistently available. Many schools now offer daily salad bars, which is a great step forward, but not all students choose to use them. The most commonly served meals still include chicken nuggets, burgers, and pizza, often served with fries or chips on the side. While there's nothing wrong with enjoying these foods occasionally, they shouldn’t be the default. Balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle—but if students aren’t choosing the healthiest options, then the nutritional value of the meal program is lost. The solution may lie in nutrition education. Teaching students to make healthier choices empowers them to take charge of their well-being. At Monomoy Regional High School, students are required to take multiple semesters of Wellness courses, and they can also enroll in a Culinary Arts and Nutrition class. These classes teach students how to make healthy meals on a budget and build long-term habits around clean eating. If more schools nationwide implemented similar programs, we could see a decrease in obesity rates and an increase in the number of students choosing to eat clean, not because they’re told to, but because they understand why it matters. School lunch programs are essential in making sure students have access to food—but access isn’t enough. Meals must also be balanced, nutritious, and part of a broader education in healthy living. Schools, families, and communities all play a part, but schools are in a unique position to educate, influence, and inspire better habits from a young age. The question isn’t just “What are schools serving?”- it's also, “What are students learning?”
The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) sets standard requirements for every food product sold or provided by an official company or institution. However, some of these requirements don’t align with current nutritional guidelines. A product may meet FDA standards and still not be a healthy option. While the FDA is responsible for food safety and helping consumers make informed decisions, nutritional value isn’t always guaranteed. Consider this: if a student eats both breakfast and lunch provided by their school, and each meal contains the maximum amount of allowed sodium, they would consume 1,650 mg of sodium out of the 2,300 mg recommended daily for teens aged 14 and older. A typical American dinner contains about 800 mg, which brings the total to 2,450 mg- already over the limit. This doesn’t even account for snacks, which are common among students. Most processed and packaged foods contain high levels of sodium because it helps preserve the food, further increasing sodium intake throughout the day.
As of now, there are no limits on added sugars in school-provided breakfasts or lunches. While natural sugars, such as those found in fruits, can be beneficial in small amounts, added sugars are artificial and offer no nutritional benefit. These should be consumed as little as possible. According to Harvard Medical, “the American Heart Association suggests that women consume no more than 100 calories (about six teaspoons or 24 grams) and men no more than 150 calories (about nine teaspoons or 36 grams) of added sugar per day. That’s about the same amount found in a 12-ounce can of soda.” While this may sound manageable, the issue is not the sugar itself—it’s the fact that the FDA does not place any limits on added sugar in school-provided meals, leaving students vulnerable to excessive intake.
Your body requires a daily intake of several key nutrients, including protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B-12, and omega-3 fatty acids. Most school-provided lunches only contain two or three of these. If a student relies on school for both breakfast and lunch, they may not be getting the full range of nutrients they need. A lack of essential nutrients can lead to several health issues over time, such as a weakened immune system, fatigue or low energy, muscle breakdown, and an increased risk of malnutrition. Although these problems usually develop after extended periods of poor nutrition, they highlight how critical consistent, nutrient-rich meals are—especially for students. The National Center For Health Statistics reports that in 2018, 19.3% of children ages 2-19 were obese, and 6.1% had severe obesity. While we cannot place full responsibility on school meals, it's clear that schools must play a more proactive role in helping students develop and maintain healthy eating habits.
Michael Noks, the Food Service Director for the Monomoy Regional School District, shared his perspective on school meal nutrition. When asked whether the nutritional value of school-provided meals concerns him, he said: “I wouldn't say worry—do I think about it? Yes, I do. But I strive to provide the best nutritional breakfast and lunch possible. Is this always easy? Definitely not, but it’s worth it to do the best I can with the tools I have at my disposal.” Noks emphasized that the FDA plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety and public health, but he also noted that FDA standards alone do not create a truly healthy lifestyle. He shared a powerful point about equity and access: “Massachusetts is currently only one of eight states in the country (more states are working toward this) that provides free breakfast and lunches to students, no matter the financial background. So I feel these programs are very beneficial as they give every student the option to enjoy school breakfast and lunch for free. And there is evidence that well-nourished students perform better academically.” Noks also stressed that while schools can offer healthy options, they cannot control what students choose to eat: “I do believe the overall goal of the program is to provide the tools and framework for schools to offer healthy options. At the end of the day, we can't force students to pick healthy options. We are a school district, so that means teaching and educating what we think would benefit them when it comes to nutrition. But at the end of the day, the student will make their own decisions.”
It's not reasonable to expect schools to serve salads and protein-dense meals every day, but it is important to make nutritious food consistently available. Many schools now offer daily salad bars, which is a great step forward, but not all students choose to use them. The most commonly served meals still include chicken nuggets, burgers, and pizza, often served with fries or chips on the side. While there's nothing wrong with enjoying these foods occasionally, they shouldn’t be the default. Balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle—but if students aren’t choosing the healthiest options, then the nutritional value of the meal program is lost. The solution may lie in nutrition education. Teaching students to make healthier choices empowers them to take charge of their well-being. At Monomoy Regional High School, students are required to take multiple semesters of Wellness courses, and they can also enroll in a Culinary Arts and Nutrition class. These classes teach students how to make healthy meals on a budget and build long-term habits around clean eating. If more schools nationwide implemented similar programs, we could see a decrease in obesity rates and an increase in the number of students choosing to eat clean, not because they’re told to, but because they understand why it matters. School lunch programs are essential in making sure students have access to food—but access isn’t enough. Meals must also be balanced, nutritious, and part of a broader education in healthy living. Schools, families, and communities all play a part, but schools are in a unique position to educate, influence, and inspire better habits from a young age. The question isn’t just “What are schools serving?”- it's also, “What are students learning?”
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