Entry #9: School Lunches

 

In my ENG 101 class, we are discussing topics in food, it also is the topic to our current essay. The topic I chose is about school lunches. I just graduated from high school and let me tell you: the food they provide is disgusting! I wanted to prove that there is no way that school lunches are healthy for students, also that they look horrible. I was searching the internet for evidence when I came upon this picture/cartoon closely depicting my thesis on school lunches. 

In the picture, you see the large character, known as Uncle Sam (or America's Government) asking the kids in line if they "would like bread with their water". This depiction of an overweight Uncle Sam is a slap in the face to school lunches. It is an ironic portrayal of the USA government because they are the ones proclaiming that school lunches need to be healthier, but are in fact the ones that consume unhealthy food. 

I also wanted to point out the poster in the background claiming that the lunch is only "850 calories". After doing some research, this graph shows the number of calories is needed depending on age and activity level.

For Boys:

Age	Not Active	Moderately Active	Active
13	2,000	2,200	2,600
14-15	2,000 – 2,200	2,400 – 2,600	2,800 – 3,000
16-18	2,400	2,800	3,200
19	2,600	2,800	3,000

For Girls:

Age	Not Active	Moderately Active	Active
13	1,600	2,000	2,200
14-18	1,800	2,000	2,400
19	2,000	2,200	2,400

How Many Calories Does My Teen Need? (eatright.org)

This lunch that is only 850 calories is too low for an average child. This shows that school lunches are progressively getting worse because people are focused on children being healthy instead of growing healthy. I say this because there is a difference in being healthy and growing up healthy.  Being healthy is something you maintain over a period of time versus growing up healthy, where you eat more calories so that you can grow up healthy and strong. Then you try to maintain that by staying healthy. Eating less calories because it is "healthier" does not make it healthier for growing children. They can become malnourished or weaker than an average person because they are receiving healthier food, but not receiving enough calories to grow up healthy.

Another thing about school lunches is the cost. After doing some research for my paper, I found out that school lunches are very cheap to make with unhealthy food, but healthier food is more expensive to make for school lunches. Most schools that have paid for lunches cannot afford the healthier option. Also, that many students cannot afford lunches, and that is a problem. If students cannot afford a lunch that cost $2.38, there is something wrong with the world (I personally think). I hate the fact that school lunches are becoming a corporation that does not let students eat unless they can pay the fee (I personally think).

Let me know how you feel about school lunches or tell me a story about a school lunch you had and how you felt about it!!