The Baltimore Sun published an article today called “Salad
bars sprouting up in city school cafeterias.” The article explained the
attempts BCPS was making towards providing students with healthier food
options. From personal experience, I know my students would benefit from a
higher quality diet. Early in the morning, when students are supposed to have
the “most important meal of the day” I see my school providing sugary beverages
that are not juice and cinnamon buns. This is a dangerous trend that BCPS is
trying to overcome.
Currently, a student who is at Baltimore Leadership School
for Young Women, when referring to the newly piloted salad bar, stated, "I
can go to lunch now and know I won't leave without eating.” This school is one
of 11 in the city who has introduced salad bars, and tomorrow 10 more schools
will be announced to become a part of this initiative.
Programs such as these are a necessary component to the
healthy child in our Nation’s Schools. Currently, 94% of school meals do not much
federal nutrition standards. This is appalling, especially when students are
expected to perform at a high academic level. How can they do this without the
proper diet? Luckily, the trend is sweeping the nation and Maryland schools
take place in a farm fresh to classroom partnership, providing fresh food to
most schools. I am happy to see this trend taking place, because, after all,
students need to be healthy if they want to gain the most possible knowledge.
4 comments:
This article is a great find. I was assigned breakfast duty this year at my school, and I have been similarly frustrated about the options my students have in terms of their diets. Like you've said, it really is no wonder that our students get tired, cranky, or hyper judging by the lack of nutrition we give them. I really hope the article's predictions come true, both for the well-being of our students and their academic success.
I really liked this article as well. I am constantly amazed at how proper eating habits which support a healthy lifestyle are not modeled for the students in our school. Often times I find my students arriving to my class still eating their "breakfast" which consists of hot cheetos and a pepsi. Considering that many times the only food some students may receive is at school, I feel that it is imperative that that meal be nutritious.
I also liked the connection that McLean made to nutrition and behavior. I can't remember where, but i have read studies of alternative schools which have transitioned to "home cooked" lunches and breakfasts that lack the preservatives, etc... that current lunches are packed with. Within these studies they cited dramatic improvements in student behavior which could be a direct result of the healthier, more balanced meal.
I completely agree that changing the food in schools will have positive effects. I have seen the food that my students are expected to eat and it does not seem healthy or real. The fact that some schools are now having salad bars placed in the cafeteria is great but the school system should do much better than just offering salad. I believe they should revamp the entire lunch system. If only 6% of school meal met federal nutrition standards, then how is this problem being overlooked? People do not view this problem as imminent. If only 6% of students passed a state test then there would be fire in the city but for some reason there is a lack of concern for the health of the student population. The school system should apply for a grant to help them fund the changes to the meal system and these changes should happen as soon as possible.
McLean has a great point. The food options in the cafeteria are terrible. If the food quality got better, then I am sure schools would have less food fights. Furthermore, our students' eating habits are impacting student learning. My students indulge in sunflower seeds and hot cheetos, which provides no nutrition. Joshua is right that meals should be nutritious because studies do indicate that students who eat balanced meals have a higher test scores. I feel that many students "act crazy" after lunch because their bodies do not have the energy to press on with the rest of the day. I have done cafeteria duty and find many kids either bring their own snacks or sit there and do not eat lunch. This is a problem because for some families this may be the only meal of the day they receive.
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