Imagine sitting on a rough cafeteria stool with hundreds upon hundreds of students breaking the sound barrier with their laughter. Overstimulated, you look down at your tray and can’t decide if you’re delighted to see the steam coming off the entree or disappointed to see the same non-nutritious meal you eat every single week. This is how many students view the lunch provided at school. Some students can devour it in less than five minutes;, others are lucky if they can pick apart what they find edible.
School lunch in the 70’s and the 60’s consisted of a variety of foods that had enough nutrition and flavor to keep students satisfied. However, according to the Harvard Crimson, in the 1980s, the federal budget was cut from schools around the nation, having a big effect on cafeteria lunch. Nutritional and cultural value suffered and the cuts still affect the students’ opinions on the lunches made today.
“I haven’t really eaten [school lunch] in a long time,” Jeehyo Rim (‘29) said. “But I remember looking at it and being grossed out.”
One of the main factors that turns kids away from school lunch is how it looks. Students have described it as gross and inedible. According to KOAA News, there have even been reports of maggots in school lunches in Colorado, leaving good reasons for students to prioritize lunches from home.
When asked if she would ever buy lunch from the school again, Rim said, “only if I had to. Like if I didn’t have time to make food or was extra hungry that day.”
Though some are skeptical of the quality, the main reason school lunch is still being funded till this day is because of its convenience for parents and students. When in a rush and packing a lunch is out of the question, spending an extra $3 is much more appealing.
“I think that it’s important to provide school lunch that is nutritious,” said Rim. “Give kids the protein and carbs they need to continue their day.”
One of the concerns with the lunches provided at school is the lack of nutrition in the entrees. For some students, the only meal they get during the day is the cafeteria lunch, so it’s important that the right amount of protein, vegetables and carbs are available.
“There are a lot of people in an unfortunate position who can’t afford lunch,” said Yasmine McCarthy (’29), “public schools are paid for by taxes so they could find a way to put that into school lunch.”
Though school lunch is a great option to use whenever needed, there has been some controversy over the cost of school lunch. According to the Fairfax County Public Schools website, a student spends about $3.50 on a school lunch, not including milk, cookies, chips, and more. That means a child would spend about $650 on school lunch alone. Unfortunately, there are some students who cannot afford to spend that amount of money.
“Overall, I think there is much work to be done to enhance school lunches,” said Rim.
