Title: These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes : The Salt : NPR
Headings: These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes
The Salt
Eating And Health
These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes
The Salt
This Is What America's School Lunches Really Look Like
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Content: Bauscher is also the nutrition services director for Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky. She says in her area, 70 percent of the students are participating in meals programs — including free dinners for some. "We've got a higher number of students eligible for free and reduced meals than ever. So as more of them take advantage of those programs, you get longer food lines," she says. Some possible solutions — such as adding lunch periods, more food stations or service workers or lengthening lunchtimes — can be costly. And many budget-strapped schools today simply don't want to risk the added price. Nicola Edwards of California Food Policy Advocates says parents need to be central to any solution. Parents can't effectively preach to kids about healthful food and quality lunchtime, she says, and then model grabbing something unhealthful on the go. "Parents need to be modeling good eating behaviors, and not shoving food through the window in the back of the car as they're on their way to work or to school," Edwards says. " Part of helping people is really making them understand the importance of eating and taking the time to eat. "