Who doesn't like food ? Should kids really have to wait hours for a snack ? Schools say they want to shape kids healthy , but are they really ? Food plays a big role in the daily lives of young people . Snacking is very important for children . They have much smaller stomachs compared to an adults . It's obvious that they need more food during the whole school day than just mid-day , lunchtime . Kids can never eat enough to stay full on one meal . Even if students were to eat breakfast , they still need to wait three to five hours to have “ lunch ” . If you were to search on how to have a proper nutrition you will conclude that you need frequent snacks and hydration . Throughout the day snacks help students learn about eating habits , of course the healthy way ! Many kids today have more pressure than before . Academic expectations been higher , and the teachers are demanding since now
Eating something about every three hours throughout the day helps maintain that . In the article Why Students Should Be Allowed To Eat In Class by Michael Murray it explains that high school students need it the most . ” Students , especially high school students , should not have to wolf down something at their locker and use only the water fountain between classes . This is neither healthy nor efficient ” . The lack of iron gives adequate oxygen to flow through your brain which can cause a person fatigue and low mental function . You can find iron in plant and animal foods . Some top sources for iron are oysters , turkey , and chicken .The one from animals is the best for your body though . According to a institute called Linus Pauling , perks of a good meal assure you of a good amount of blood to your brain . Which also decreases the risks of any strokes . With the healthy heart diet strokes would be reduced , because the brain and heart health are the same thing as it says they go “ hand in-hand “
Schools are meant to give our children a healthy and nurturing environment, and yet so much of the lunches in schools are fattening; does this stop schools from achieving the aforementioned goal? Childhood obesity in the United Sates continues to be a growing problem despite so any new programs to help combat it, and new research is showing how schools may be playing a large role in childhood obesity. School lunches are showing to be the problem, they encourage poor nutrition in our nation’s students, and simple reform is proving to not be enough to stop the rise in obesity rates.
This doesn’t help kids focus in the classroom for hours after consuming these fatty and sugary foods. The kids will get a sugar high but then crash hours after and won’t be focusing in class but instead, falling asleep during an important lesson. Anita states that, “school cafeterias, of all places, should demonstrate how a healthy, low-fat, well-balanced diet produces healthy, energetic, mentally alert people,” and teaching this at high schools is the best place to change the food because in this generation, kids are becoming overweight and unhealthy because of all the “junk food” they are eating. Teenagers in high school tend to eat more when they are stressed, so if they serve unhealthy foods in the cafeterias then the student will eat the “junk food”, but if the “junk” is switched with fruits, vegetables, and some salads then the students wouldn’t have the sugar high and be focused
In other words, the food is not delicious and there are not many choices. Also, when children don’t get proper nutrition, they have trouble focusing on school. Most students do not buy lunch because they feel it is unappealing and do not like the food served. Many students go to other kids and ask for food. In addition, many students do not eat breakfast, so they rely on lunch to fuel them for the day.
Lunch time is a time to take a break from the day and recharge for the rest of the day. In elementary schools it is also a time to meet up with your friends and socialize. Lunch time is not only time to eat. It is important for the mental, social, and emotional health of the children as well. Children need them chance to unwind and destress, which is promoted by socializing with friends. “Lunch should be an enjoyable part of the school day for students, offering a break from classroom work and a place to relax, socialize, and become nourished.”("The Cafeteria: Creating a Positive Mealtime Experience", 2013) Lunch time should be done in a setting where
After a long afternoon, those students who stay after school rely on the school provided snack to get them through dinner. It is very important that this snack is nutritious so that they receive the energy needed to get them through the evening. The CATCH Kids Club is an after school program which focuses strictly on improving nutrition and physical activity in elementary school students’ lives (3). This particular program focused on training after school-care staff and teaching them the tools necessary to teach children about nutrition after hours. The focus was on setting up lessons and plans providing an outline of what the snack was and the physical activities that were going to be done during that time (3). Recently, there has been a federal law change that says schools must provide a drink, whether it is milk or juice and a larger portion of fruits or vegetables for after school programs as well as before and during school hours. Milk and juice provide greater nutrient intakes as well as vitamins (4). Milk, in particular, provides a significant amount of calcium and helps build strong bones and teeth. Likewise, larger portions of vegetables and fruits give children vitamins, minerals and fiber that will keep them energized throughout the day
Williamson, D. A., Han, H., Johnson, W. D., Martin, C. K., & Newton, R. L. (2013). Modification of the school cafeteria environment can impact childhood nutrition. Results from the Wise Mind and LA Health studies. Appetite, 61, 77–84. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2012.11.002
To conclude, unhealthy foods in the cafeteria and the vending machines are the worst examples for the kids to maintain the healthy eating habits. Us Parents have to step in to make changes for our kids because in doing so would determine what kind of foods our kids are consuming. We do know for facts they are not getting the proper nutrients while in school, although they do spend in average of eight to 12 hours in schools. We, the parents, can start to make a difference, by attending the school meetings and being active in our kids functions in schools.
From the ages of five to eighteen years old, the school is the main environment that students are in. Especially throughout the adolescent years, a monumental time in growth and development of personal values, a student’s environment, in this case the school, is a large factor affecting the values and habits that student develops for the rest of his or her life. Another environment with significant causes to students’ mindset as a whole is the entertainment industry. Companies over-advertise greasy and unhealthy foods and school children are extremely susceptible to their influence. Schools need to step up as a positive example in the students’ lives because “Schools are a critical part of the social environment… and can therefore play a large role in helping improve [students’] diet” (Health Guidelines). It is unequivocally vital to understand that even though a child may not eat unhealthy school lunches, the fact that schools established a social norm for serving nutritionally insufficient meals is enough to negatively impact that student’s views on nutrition. Furthermore, the current state of nutrition that school students are getting provides irrefutable evidence that positive influence on students’ nutritional habits is critical. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that “Children and adolescents consume too much fat, saturated fat, and
Why is this a problem? Cafeteria food is often cheap, bought in bulk, high in calories, malnutritious, and microwaved. Student polls and opinions prove this. Therefore, this leads to a suggestion: Healthier, tastier foods and a better, more advanced lunch system should be implemented. First of all, students aren’t motivated to eat unhealthy, not-tasty food.
We should be able to eat and/or drink in class, what we want, when we want. The main reason I feel this particular way, is because there’s no reason a person should have to go eight in the morning or before until noon or after without eating or drinking something. (If you are in high school, that is). Another one of the main reasons I feel this way is because some kids have problems involving food, such as diabetes. Another possible problem might be hypoglycemia, which, in fact, I have. Hyperglycemia is another major problem in this world. I also believe that students can focus and learn more on a full stomach. Not just because I am, in fact, a student, but because I have been in the situation where I’m hungry and I can’t concentrate on anything, except my stomach and it’s cravings for food.
Many of these children only get a full meal while having their school lunch, so many of these children go hungry the rest of the day.
Students are definitely affected if they don’t eat breakfast. Breakfast is a great way Students who eat breakfast have the energy to do everything in class. “One major physical benefit of breakfast that can help school performance is the increase in energy that comes from a morning dose of carbs and protein. Energy provided by breakfast carbs allows children to fully participate in physical activity at school, including physical education, or P.E. classes; recess; and extracurricular activities. Kids who eat breakfast are typically in better health overall as well.
First and foremost, students have high pressure to achieve a good grade. Nowadays, the focus is more on scores rather
Eating the right foods is a very important for us to maintain a healthy body. So, why is it vital for us to make sure our students eat the right meals at school? This question has many answers and not enough solutions, but two major problems is the lack of both proper nutrient and healthier food choices. There are changes being made to improve to our schools and lunch programs, known as the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), to increase access to healthier food choices and changing the serving requirements so students can get the right intake of proper nutrients. Why are the changes are suddenly being made, exactly? I am here to inform about the new changes to schools’ lunches and breakfast are being made to decrease child obesity, introduce
One of the first things that I would recommend is that schools completely remove unhealthy food options from their cafeterias. Schools should offer nutritious meals that meet the recommended guidelines for children. Cafeteria workers need to be trained in healthy food preparation techniques, as well as make food look appealing and tasty. Another important aspect to remember when planning meal times is to make sure that students have an adequate amount of time to eat. A final recommendation is that schools offer breakfast, lunch and after school snacks. Some children are at school early and late to participate in extracurricular activities. Offering breakfast and after school snacks for these students will ensure they have a healthy option to eat. As part of healthy lifestyle education, schools should encourage children to exercise by offering a variety of after school activities, as well as physical education classes and encouraging active play at