At schools all over the world, lunches are a major source of fuel for the students’ learning capabilities and success. But is the food served here at Monte Vista enough to keep kids focused and high-performing? Many people have mixed opinions concerning the nourishment of our school’s lunches, and whether it’s truly giving students the nutrition they need.

     While some students don’t pay much attention to the lunches, others do. “I don’t think they [the lunches] have a balance of food groups at all because… even though they [MVHS] have 4 different lunches, they’re all exactly the same,” said freshman Addisyn Wulfsberg. “They’re too similar to each other to be nutritious, since, for some reason, almost a quarter of the lunches are some form of bread or carb and cheese.” 

     Behind the counters in the lunch line, California school districts, including SRVUSD, must follow the guidelines of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Schools in this program are required to adhere to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) dietary standards. This includes the Final Rule – Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 DGAs, which paired meal patterns for students with science-based nutritional research. It imposed limits on added sugar and sodium levels, while creating more flexibility for the needs of dietary restrictions, such as vegetarian and halal diets.

     “There’s a certain amount of salt we can use for a week, [or an] amount of fat, things like that,”  said Kitty Roth, the manager of our school’s kitchen. “With the nutritionist’s help, we develop the meals [and] make sure that we’re following the state guidelines.”

     Although Monte Vista requires students to take both an entree and a vegetable/fruit in order to leave the lunch line, some students prefer to place their unwanted food into the food share, a system that recycles food in order to limit waste. This program may affect the nutritional content in the student’s meals, as getting rid of the only vegetable/fruit provided ruins the potential health benefits. This problem creates room for possible improvements. “I’d say one of the main things that could be improved is probably the variety of fruit, because they seem to be repeating everything,” Wulfsberg said. “Another one… would be adding different types of food, like sandwiches or salads that [incorporate] vegetables.” By providing a larger range of fruits and vegetables, people believe students will be less likely to waste something they don’t want to eat if there’s a better option they prefer.

     So, even though students debate on how nourishing the lunches are, many students depend on the free school lunches, as they play a crucial role in their overall academic performance. While there have been several developments over the years, such as adjustments to diet, inclusivity/variety, and more whole grains, there are still many adjustments that can be made. By supporting scholars with better food options and prioritizing nutrition, schools can ensure kids are truly getting the right amount of everything they need in their diet.