By Jiemin Sun
Usually, a middle school lunch consists of soggy pasta or paninis dripping in oil as its main course. There is an option of getting salad and fruit alongside, but many students ignore this option. Milk or water is provided, and a small treat like a cookie or a bag of chips are usually included. Other main dishes are greasy pizza or poorly made grilled cheese sandwiches. Many are semi-packaged foods or frozen meals which are reheated for lunch. There are also many canned fruits/vegetables. Additives in processed food and too much salt are also worries. Are we really providing healthy food to growing kids?
It is debatable if progress is being made. Former First Lady Michelle Obama has advocated passionately for better school lunches, but the impact of her campaign is yet to be seen. School districts still choose their own meals for the students and federal action has had minimal impact. Bills regarding the issue have been changed countless times in Senate compromises and are currently stuck in political limbo. That said, there is still hope that the current state of school lunches will change for the better.
