Should Fast Food Be Served In School?

More than 31 million students eat school lunches every day and almost two-thirds of them get a free or reduced-price meal. For some students, this is the only meal they eat every day. Are these meals healthy? Would fast food be a better choce?

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is in charge of the school lunch program across the country and they have very strict guidlines. They have set guidelines on the amount of calories, the amount of salt, the amount of whole grains and require schools to offer fruits and vegetables. School lunches have become much healthier than past years. The cost of a school lunch is less expensive than the fast food option for both the schools and parents. There have been studies done in the past that show student performance at school goes down when they eat fast food on a daily basis. Not only are school lunches healthier, but they are teaching students how to make a better food choice.

Even with the USDA's strict guidelines, school lunches are not always better. Most times, they are processed, frozen food that is reheated. They have artificial flavors and coloring and most times are not very appealing. And safety can be an issue as well. A significant percentage of meat eaten by students at some schools fails to meet quality standards imposed by fast food restaurants. Although fast food does cost more, school lunch prices have increased as well due to inflation. Not all fast food is unhealthy. A lot of fast food restaurants have heilthy choice options on their menus. Giving students a healthy fast food lunch choice could help with their acadamic performance and make for an all better day.

I think schools should offer a fast food lunch option, at a higher price, if it is available in their town.  But, I do think that the fast food choice must be a somewhat healthy one, like a subway meal or grilled chicken nuggets. I do not think that having these kinds of lunch's everyday will change my performance in school.  There are couple of days were I eat very little of my school lunch because the meals are not good. I feel my lunch period and overall day will be much better with the fast food lunch.

 

Questions:

Do you think fast food in schools is a good idea?

If you had a choice, would you eat a school lunch or a fast food lunch? Why?

 

Sites

https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/why-fast-food-is-healthier-than-school-lunches-the-shocking-usda-truth

https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2022/02/08/food-fight-usda-strengthens-school-meal-standards-ahead-of-broad-overhaul-slated-for-the-fall

https://draxe.com/health/school-lunch/

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Replies

    • I agree that fast food every day can be bad and maybe having it a couple of days a week would be a good idea.  I think having healthier fast food options would be better so students don't get out of shape.

  • I think that it would be a terrible idea. Why would schools supply students with food that's even more unhealthy. If I had the option I would say no without a doubt. I think our schools need to supply healthier food to begin with. Some of the lunches have no nutritional value.

    • I agree that schools need to supply healthier food options to students.  But I think not all fast food is bad or unhealthy.  Having a healthy fast food choice can help students to create good eating habits.

  • I think that it would be a cool idea but only for a certain time. It should be served kind of as a reward rather then just giving it out kinda like a pizza party. 

    • I think that is a good idea too.  Having fast food as a reward would make students work harder for better grades.

  • I think that it could be good but, it would have a long line at the begging of the opening. I think it would be easier to have smaller shops at the school, like coffee or snack buildings. I would not get food at school but I would get drinks.

    • I think that is a good idea to have other options like coffee and snacks.  I'm sure there would be a high demand at the beginning, but it would get better after time.

  • I think fast food dhouldn;t be served in schools. I think this because the US id already the most obesse county in the world, and serving fast food in school, would just make it worse. Fast food i svery unhealthy and full of grease and other nasty things. IF i had the choice it would honest;y depend on what the school i serving that day. If it was okay then i would eat school lunch. BUtif the school lunch was trash i would eat fast food.

    • I agree that there should be both school lunch and fast food lunch and the student can decide.  But I think the fast food option has to be healthy or it won't be allowed in the school.  

  • This reply was deleted.
    • I agree with you on all your comments.  It can be used as a reward or just a few times a week.  But I think only healthy fast food can be served in schools.

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