Lunch purchased from school isn’t always the best. Sometimes it isn’t something you find appetizing, other times the food offered may not be the most allergy friendly. Sometimes home lunch may just be a better fit for you. However for the majority of highschoolers, getting lunch from school is easier, cost-efficient, and allows them to have more time to prepare for the day ahead. This can lead to improved performance in class and a healthier, balanced diet.
Many students have mornings where they’re running late and falling behind. Not counting everything they do to get ready for the day, they need to have time to actually get to school. Having to make lunch would pull them back, eating up already limited time. This could severely affect a student’s sleep schedule. When making food at home, you have to stay up later or get up earlier to have time to make the food. It can lead to a less than optimal amount of sleep. School lunch takes the pressure of timing when to squeeze making food into their schedule away, letting them have more time for schoolwork as well as personal time needed for a healthy environment.
While some could say just to make the lunch the night before, depending on what it is it could alter the taste, such as bread going soggy or vegetables wilting. With school provided lunch, not only is it fresh, it is a better alternative to some things students may bring from home. School lunch provides items from each food group to give the students a healthy, balanced meal. This can result in improved performance in students’ classes throughout the day. With higher nutritious content, comes increased focus and better in-class engagement.
Aside from health benefits, school lunches can also be more cost efficient than making lunch at home for many students. Lunch from home can be more costly, especially considering today’s economic conditions. With school lunches being free, it takes some of the monetary pressure off students and their families, allowing for more freedom within household spending.
Furthermore, a great benefit of school lunch is convenience. School lunches are often already prepared by cafeteria staff, allowing students to save time and energy that would otherwise be spent creating meals at home. This can be especially beneficial for students with busy schedules or those who are often rushing in the morning. With school lunches ready for you to grab and go, you don’t have to worry about taking the extra time to make and pack a lunch – or worry about forgetting one at all. Junior Rio Bucy said she likes school lunch because there’s limitless options of what you can get, it’s different everyday. The same opportunities would be limited for home lunch.
In the end, school lunches are more cost-efficient, convenient, and beneficial for students’ performance in class. By utilizing school lunches, students can save time, energy, and money, while receiving a balanced nutritious meal and getting more sleep. By prioritizing school lunches over lunch from home, students can be well-equipped and prepared to handle the challenges of the day ahead.