Many students feel that lunch is the best time to socialize with their friends, especially if they’re on the opposite grade-level team. It is also a great way to take a break from our classes and refuel so we can tackle the rest of our day. But having a longer lunch is a controversial topic, since teachers will face a problem trying to cram in lessons in a shorter span of time. So how will we find the best solution that pleases both students and teachers?
One solution is to find a more efficient way to operate the cafeteria lunch line system. Waiting in line for our lunches takes up at least ten minutes of our limited time. Plus, many parents don’t have the time to pack lunch for their student. In this case, the best solution would be to find a way to cut back on the time students spend waiting in line for their food.
However, the most popular and wanted solution would be to increase the amount of time students get in lunch. Many students like going outside for Walk and Talk after they finish their lunches (especially seventh and eighth grade - those two grades don’t get recess). If we can increase the time we get at lunch, we can have enough time to go outside and enjoy our food. And, a longer lunch can let us spend more time with our friends, who might not be on the same team as us. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who have more time to eat their lunch in school tend to enjoy their food and eat more when they aren’t rushed.
Also, a longer lunch would promote less food waste. Here in Park Forest, many teachers have expressed their concern for how students take items in the cafeteria lunch line but end up throwing them away without taking a bite. If students get more time to eat, we will be able to consume more food and decrease the amount of food waste - which is one of the leading problems, not just in schools in America, but all around the world.
Finally, the leading reason why students should get more time at lunch is because it can maximize health benefits. Normally, students are supposed to choose at least one healthy side component of their lunches. But sometimes, the healthy option (like a salad, for example) doesn’t always get consumed. To prevent letting healthy food go to waste because of less time to eat, a longer lunch will come into play as it will let students have more time to finish all the parts of their meal.
All in all, students should get a longer lunch because they can get more time to enjoy their food, decrease food waste, and it can maximize students’ health benefits. Also, lunch doesn’t just let us have more time to eat and socialize. It can make us healthier, happier, and fuller students in the long term.