As much as good nutrition is essential for developing teens, lunch at high school is “unhealthy, costly, and not what we usually eat at home” students said. Could Non-cafeteria lunch be the reason for unhealthy habits in teens diets?

Though most high schools around America have a cafeteria and provide lunch for the students, schools in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood allows kids to go out for lunch. Students are given a certain time they must be back at school and have to take on the responsibility of buying food and finding a place to eat. Unfortunately, this system has no way of regulating whether the kids are making healthy choices or not. “Since we have such a short lunch period, it is difficult to eat healthy because there is no time to find a nutritious lunch,” said Elinor, a freshman.

The question is, would kids be able to maintain a healthier diet with different circumstances for the outdoor lunch system? Would students still be eating fast food on a regular basis? Sydney, a ninth grader, said, “I usually eat fast food because its the most accessible and the cheapest for lunch.”

As a few students stated, they usually only have about ten dollars for lunch each day. With ten dollars per day, kids are/ spending fifty dollars a week and two hundred dollars a month. Many students stated that they usually go to Chipotle at least once a week. A Chipotle burrito without Guacamole costs $8.27 and with guacamole it is $11.25. Also, when kids eat pizza, which is another common lunch during the school day, they end up spending almost as much as at Chipotle because the slices and drinks add up. Rana, another ninth grade student said, “I normally get pizza because it is the cheapest thing in this neighborhood.”

Due to the short lunch period, students do not have the capability to seek out different foods other than what is close to the school. However, it is not certain that kids would choose to eat healthier with a longer amount of time and more options. Rubia Hockenberry, a fitness expert, stated, “I do not think teenagers intend to find healthy foods to eat. They tend to steer more towards fast foods, even the most active and athletic kids do not have great eating habits.”

Other schools that do provide cafeteria food have been focusing on improving nutrition for the students. Programs such as the Wellness In Schools Association work to fund better chefs and try to purchase fresh vegetables from local farms. Without being said, this all costs money. Schools that do not allow kids to go out for lunch must be able to make food that the students will eat. The types of foods teens in America are eating are more “bad habits than diets” claimed dietitian,Dayle Hayes. She also said that “some kids do not eat at all because they are not fond of what is being served.”

In America today 21% of teens ages 12 to 19 are obese. With increasing rates over the years, these children have been growing up with poor diets and lack of nutrition because they eat what they are used to. Mariama said, “I don’t eat lunch at school. My mom packs me a lunch and makes healthy dinners.” But just what is in these lunches that parents pack? Are they filled with good food making a well rounded meals or are they filled with candy and easy pre-prepared foods? Children tend to follow the diets of their parents. Depending on what is served to them at home and what is sent with them to school, creates a healthy or unhealthy diet. Obesity in children puts them at risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Schools such as LaGuardia High School in New York have their students stay in the building for the entire school day. Kids are not allowed to go out for lunch and must either bring lunch or pay for the cafeteria food. Besides not being permitted to buy outdoor food, these students do not get as much exercise during the day as students who must walk around in search of something to eat. Most of the schools which are allowed to eat out are a walking distance from the restaurants and delis. The students are given the opportunity to walk around and become acquainted with the neighborhood. Without being said, the prime components to maintaining optimum health are a balance of exercise and nutritious foods.

Nutrition is important for all kids to grow healthy and strong. The effect of eating habits in school reflects greatly on students diets in general.