Bayside High School

Lunch of Bayside High School : Healthy or Not?

By John Sullivan

It started in 1946, when The National School Lunch Act was created by President Harry Truman to add nutrition to students' meals, taken from the surplus of farmers. “Children, regardless of their citizenship status, may receive a discounted meal for which the school receives a federal cash subsidy and federal farm commodities.” This act was a huge success, and resulted in an increase of demands in agricultural commodities and well fed students, providing free and low cost meals all over America.

This act was cut in 1970 when nutrition funds were reduced by over a billion dollars during the Reagan administration. This nutrition plan was later revived in 2010 by the Obama administration adding vegetables and fruits, as well as alternative options to daily school lunches. 

This leaves several questions unanswered. Is school lunch still up to the same standards as in 1946? Are nutrition standards up to date? Is a chicken finger burger covered in cheese and a bun really good for you? What are they feeding students in the cafeteria? 

Physical Education teacher at Bayside High School , Mr. Abdelfattah, commented on the school lunch. “ If you take a look at the characteristics of the food being served, it is indeed very healthy in terms of calories and in terms of our daily nutrient count. ”

The New York City Department of Education states, “New York City was the first major city in the country to set nutrition standards for all foods and meals purchased and served by the city.” Having food standards is a goal to improve students' health. It further states, “They were developed to help lower the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and make it easier for New Yorkers who are served by city agencies to access healthy foods.” The average school lunch portion consistsTh of  a hamburger, or piece of chicken, and a side, being vegetables, or fries. 

I wanted to look at the school lunch myself, so I went on Groundhog Day to see what they served. It included fried potatoes and a fish burger.  The food certainly had flavor and the potatoes had spices in it, which was quite a surprise. The meals are very diverse and there are separate options.

You should try the school lunch for yourself to form your own opinion.