Essay on School Nutrition Guidelines in the U.S.
School lunch nutritional guidelines are established as a problem in the United States worldwide. Nutritional guidelines are very important because it influences student health. For low-income communities and school, lunch is the only nutritional meal students get to consume, so they need to reach the nutritional guidelines. The support of increasing school funding and financial help by the government will increase the school lunch supply. The number of students consuming school meals would improve school nutrition guideline preparation will skyrocket for the reasoning of having fresh meals.
The solution for improving youth health is by a new school lunch guideline that is healthier and useful. Nutritional food is very important because of its apart of health. The United States Department of Agriculture updated its nutrition requirement for school lunches. They also established a nutrition standard for all school lunch meals such as increasing the number of whole grains, offering fruits and vegetables. The U.S. Department of Agriculture went into effect that schools have been making changes in their food service programs, to fight against obesity. Proving healthier foods and fresh ingredients in school lunch programs will have a fresh new start with the nutritional guideline. In my survey of 114 local riverside students, 77 percent say that school lunches should be healthier. In the article “what’s at stake? by (npr.org) states that in 2010, Congress gave the Federal School Lunch Program a nutrition makeover (Aubrey).
The makeover was to improve in many ways. The new regulation increased and limited some nutrients to give food a better healthy balance. The Federal School Lunch Program increased the number of whole grains served in school cafeterias. “Shifting to fat-free or low-fat milk” (Aubrey). They also limited calories by offering fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. The USDA is determined to ensure students a healthy and nutritious meal. Childhood obesity is decreasing with fresh school fruits and vegetables. Every student deserves support with a nutritious meal.
School lunch has a significant impact on the nutritional lives of many children, especially low-income students who often eat breakfast and lunch at schools. Many low-income people wait in line for their turn to be served healthy food by “hunger relief agency” because they usually don't have money to get food that reaches the nutritional guideline to provide for their children (Lubrano). The number of working poor families finding food is expanding throughout the United States. The amount of students getting free or reduced lunch has been increasing each year. Children in Delaware and Alabama rely on “ free or reduced-price lunches” to serve them healthy food (Lubrano). In my surveys of 114 local riverside students, 39% of them get free or reduced meals. In the last 10 years “ our poverty rate is low, but the number of children qualifying for free and reduced lunch has increased” (Blum). Around 43% of students of the U.S. get subsidized meals. Low-income communities and schools need financial support from the government to live life without worrying about not meeting nutritional guidelines. Fruits and vegetables would boost youth health benefits and reach nutritious guidelines. The lower class student will benefit from school nutritional meals when provided at school.
Children obesity is building up throughout the United States because of the lack of government financial support. The funding and financial support from the government will provide a healthier food choice for American students. In the article “ summer brings hunger in Pa. burbs: As school ends, so do low-cost lunches” (Alfred Lubrano) claims that children who get free or reduced lunch become “food orphans” over the summer. When School ends the government doesn't give them financial support and instead should assist them with nutritious good over the summer. In my survey, 39% of students give subsidize meals from government funding. An Inquirer survey of summer programs in the Pennsylvania suburbs found that they fed only 15 percent of eligible low-income children” (Lubrano). In low-income communities there are a few feeding sites. In a film called “ A place at the Table” is about the American food crisis.
The United States government would cut food programs to send funds to the U.S. Army and other research. Resources such as food stamps, debt, and food funding decrease. The American crisis increase children were getting obese. Government food service must step up more and provide hungry Americans with a nutritional guideline meal. When raising the amount of revenue many will jump on board and support healthy food awareness. Through grants, donations, and partnerships schools can have enough money to purchase fresh ingredients to create new nutrition school meals for those in need.
In conclusion, national food services across the country need to wake up and help out those who are struggling when providing for their families. The improvement of youth health will increase by providing children with the correct substance and well being. Low-income communities will gratefully pleased when provided help. The financial support going towards schools and communities would decrease the amount of junk food Americans eat and increase nutritional guidelines. The market of nutrition will expand when everyone does their part to change the American diet.
Work Cited
Blum, Julie. Getting a Closer Look at Poverty. Columbus Telegram (NE), 1 Apr. 2012.
Jacobson, Kristi, and Lori Silverbush, directors. A Place at the Table. YouTube, Magnolia
Pictures, 2013.
Lubrano, Alfred. Summer Brings Hunger in Pa. Burbs: As School Ends, so Do Low-Cost
Lunches. Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA), 9 July 2008.
Montero, Isaiah & Rodas, Angel. School lunch nutritional guidelines. Survey. Riverside CA.
February 2019.
Pupovac Jessica & Allison Aubrey School Lunch Debate: What's At Stake?
11 June 2014.
