School Lunches Research Paper

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Schools are responsible for providing meals to over 3 million students every day (CITE THIS). Students receive over half their total calories from school lunches, which not only effects their current health but their future eating habits. From my own experience in cafeteria food, I never experienced food that was healthy and tasty, which seems like a huge problem if I eat half my calories at school. Before I started researching, I didn’t understand why it was so difficult for schools to provide both healthy and tasty lunches. However, after researching, I found there are many hidden guidelines to follow for school lunches. The government has tried to be involved, but cost; equipment; and taste are all huge factors that make schools lunch a…show more content…
For instance, participation in the HHFKA “was higher among schools in the south, in rural areas, and in states with stronger nutrition policies.” School lunches depend more on surplus of the area, rather than the demand of the school. Before my research, I didn’t think about how schools received their ingredients. It’s difficult for schools to get fresh ingredients during the winter or if they live in urban areas. Schools have to use the healthiest option of ingredients they have if they want the program to succeed. Pew Charitable Trusts Kid’s Safe and Healthful Foods Project conducted a survey in which “ 91 percent of school food officials… said they face challenges in putting the standards in place, including problems with food costs and availability, training employees to follow the new guidelines, and a lack of the proper equipment to cook healthier meals”. (QUOTE THIS) Besides the ability to collect all ingredients, schools also need the right equipment to make these meals. This includes dieticians, proper kitchens, and ways to preserve and prep food. Susan Gross, a doctor at Johns Hopkins, admits, “It’s really hard to produce things mass. It’s not an easy process for them to keep things appetizing” (QUOTE THIS). My previous ideas o healthy lunches didn’t include prep, equipment, and food. The more research done, the more I realize that there is so much more that goes into making school lunches than just healthy

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