Since my daughter started kindergarten, we’ve been on quite the quest to ensure she eats lunch at school. I’ve experimented with everything from letting her buy hot lunches to cutting sandwiches into quirky shapes. I’ve even resorted to packing less-than-healthy options just to prevent her from coming home feeling faint. Fast forward to fifth grade, and guess what? We’re still in the same boat!
A couple of years back, I stopped by the school to drop off some supplies and happened to peek into the cafeteria. To my shock, I saw my daughter wedged between two boys at a cramped table, looking like a sardine in a can. It seemed like all 30 kids in her class were crammed into one tiny lunch table. I kid you not, she was attempting to maneuver her arms like a mini T-rex just to get food into her mouth, thanks to the crowding.
The noise level (as you can imagine) was through the roof—typical for an elementary lunchroom—and the time allocated for eating is downright ridiculous: a mere 15 minutes! At my kids’ school, they combine lunch with recess for a total of 30 minutes. Supposedly, they get 15 minutes to eat and 15 minutes to play. However, my kids constantly tell me they barely have time to finish their meals. There’s always an excuse—whether it’s the teacher keeping them a few extra minutes or waiting in line for what seems like an eternity.
Five minutes to eat. That’s it.
If a child isn’t finished when it’s time for the next grade to come in, they can stay behind. But let’s be real—what kid is going to hang back and miss out on recess while their friends dash outside? Mine certainly wouldn’t. They’d rather toss that lovingly-prepared sandwich into the trash and join their pals outside—because, well, they’re kids!
In my opinion, it’s clear they’re not receiving enough time, space, or nutritious food. Every child deserves the right to a wholesome meal at school, regardless of their financial situation. And can we please put an end to publicly embarrassing kids who run out of lunch money? Sure, we’ve made strides toward healthier food options in schools, but we also need to foster a more positive eating environment.
How can we expect kids to learn effectively on empty stomachs simply because they ran out of time? A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that when children have limited time to eat, they tend to consume less of everything. Juliana Cohen, the lead author, stated that many children—especially those from lower-income families—depend on school meals for a significant portion of their daily nutrition. Therefore, it’s crucial to provide them with adequate time to eat.
I get that my daughter’s reluctance to eat might be an extreme case. She’s a bit of a daydreamer. One day, she told me that a kid at her table mixed chocolate milk into his mac and cheese, which completely killed her appetite. I acknowledge that there are various distractions at play.
Nonetheless, the lunch situation in public schools has numerous flaws. It’s not just about ensuring there’s a vegetable on the plate. Kids are going hungry, feeling embarrassed, and missing out on proper nutrition due to strict lunch schedules and cramped spaces. Quite frankly, prioritizing kids’ eating in public schools seems to be way down on the list.
My daughter’s teacher has been a wonderful ally in brainstorming solutions. She’s not the problem; in fact, she genuinely cares about her students’ well-being. But I want to see broader changes in our public school lunch systems. What if we gave them a full 30 minutes to eat? What if we made sure kids didn’t feel ashamed when they couldn’t pay for lunch? Let’s create a more spacious and accommodating environment that emphasizes the importance of eating as part of learning. They should be able to enjoy both eating and playing, not have to choose one over the other.
Because I don’t know about you, but when I get hangry, it can get pretty ugly. Kids are just little humans who get hangry too. So let’s fill those bellies and make school a better place where they can thrive with the nutrition and energy they need to reach their potential.
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Summary
Our children need more time to eat lunch at school. Currently, they’re often crammed into small spaces with limited time, leading to inadequate nutrition. We should prioritize their eating environment, ensuring they have enough time and space to nourish themselves properly.