Feb 1, 2023
Dear Mr. Christiansen,
Some students are in need of a longer lunch period and schools aren’t offering them that option. For example, most high schoolers are given a lunch period where they can drive places and are able to eat whatever food they like, but what if they’d like to choose a healthier restaurant and aren’t able to because their lunchtime is too short? Students can easily find fast food restaurants and call it a day, but some other students would rather seek healthier options that may be further away. Students’ lunch periods should be longer because lunch lines can be long, lots of food goes to waste, and healthier options take longer to consume.
A more extended lunch period is something students need. First, the long
…show more content…
However, students should still have the option of having a longer lunch period. For one thing, students shouldn’t have to eat their lunch rushed. Deborah Taylor, a director of the Shawnee School Nutrition Services in Oklahoma says, “When people look back on the childhood obesity epidemic, they may blame the way kids rushed through meals, both at school and at home.” This shows that the more time kids have to eat, the less they’ll want to eat sooner because they're still hungry from being rushed earlier in the day. In addition, students need to digest food properly before heading back to class. The U.S. government recommends that children have a minimum of 20 minutes to eat their lunch. On the other hand, many nutrition experts say that 20 minutes is still not enough time for students to properly eat and digest their food. Lunch is an important part of a student’s day and it gives them the energy they need for the rest of the school day. Lastly, a more extended lunch can benefit everyone. Some schools have made a change for their students; not only are the students happy, but so is the staff. Odgen City School District in Utah has started a program that has declined the number of tardies overall and given students the lunch time they need. If students reduce the number of tardies and keep up with good grades they’re rewarded with a longer lunch. This program may not work for all schools, but it is worth a try! It should be clear, students should have enough time to finish their