Extended lunches are beneficial

The line to buy lunch during Bonita Vista High’s lunch break can get lengthy. The long lines can make the 30 minute break feel insufficient for students to wait for their lunch. (Eiffel Sunga)

An extensively long wait as Bonita Vista High (BVH) students feel the sun’s heat hammering down on them. The process of getting lunch and having to wait in line can be an annoying process that can reach the extent to where students don’t get to fully eat their lunch. The 30 minute lunch period is wasted by the amount of time it takes for students to wait in line in order to receive their lunch—this is why BVH needs to extend the lunch period.

The cafeteria is where the majority  of the student body can be found whether they are eating or lounging around. Most schools offer lunch to many students, with some handing out meals for free to assist students living in low-income households. Furthermore, the time given during lunch is precious towards relieving stress and allows students to choose what they want to accomplish. If students choose to wait in line to eat school lunch, they won’t be able to spend their lunch time freely. 

According to the Food Research & Action Center, an organization that advocates for the health and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States, “receiving free or reduced-price school lunches reduces food insecurity, obesity rates, and poor health.” In addition, school meal nutrition standards are having a positive impact on student food selection and consumption, especially for fruits and vegetables. School lunches allow students to adapt to a healthier diet.

On the other hand, a post made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that students who consume more nutrients “have better overall diet quality, than nonparticipants.” Furthermore, those who eat the breakfast served at school “is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores.” 

 

Students who eat the lunch schools offer not only consume  healthier food, but also have a higher performance. Despite the benefits of eating the school provided meals, who would want to wait in a long line that takes up the time allocated for a lunch break? Students are not given enough time to eat the food after receiving lunch which adds on to why BVH lunch times are too short. 

The lunches that come from schools are important to the students’ future. Without lunch, students’ academic performance could be at a lower rate, as well as impacting their health.  Overall, extending school lunch period provide students time to receive food and eat it which helps them with their academic performance and encourages a healthier diet.