Discuss the issues of American school lunch, why we need to fix it, and how we are going to fix it.

2. + Very tight budget
+ Difficult to provide good
ingredients
+ $1.30 per student
– Food, labor,
equipment, etc.

3. + SNAP = Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program
– Also known as Food Stamps
+ Students on SNAP automatically receive free
school lunch

4. + Students who rely on SNAP cannot get free
school lunch
– Around ½ million students
+ Affect their ability to learn
– Hunger
– Malnourishment
– Lack of energy

5. + Dairy products
– Chocolate milk – very
high in sugar
– Expired milk
+ Frozen ingredients
– Not cooked
– Processed food

6. + Diets could affect ability to learn and
memorize
– Food high in saturated fats
+ Vitamins help improve concentration
+ Lower misbehaving and any disciplinary
related issues
+ Overall better health and academic
performance

7. + Lunch is made from scratch
– Not frozen food
– Ingredients grown locally
– Similar to homecooked meals
+ Well balanced diets, very nutritious
+ Students are healthy
+ Low child obesity rate

8. + School garden
– Schools can grow their own vegetables
– Use ingredients in school lunch
+ Educate students on nutrition
– Importance of healthy diets
– More willing to eat healthy

9. + Longer lunchtimes
– Less stress
– Have more time to eat
– Better digestion
+ Look into private funds
– To improve quality of food
– Spread awareness of situation

10. +“Almost 1 Million Kids Could Lose Automatic Eligibility for Free School Lunches under
Trump Proposal.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2019,
www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-10-16/1-million-kids-could-lose-free-school-
lunches.
+ Harlan, Chico. “On Japan's School Lunch Menu: A Healthy Meal, Made from
Scratch.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 26 Jan. 2013,
www.washingtonpost.com/world/on-japans-school-lunch-menu-a-healthy-meal-
made-from-scratch/2013/01/26/5f31d208-63a2-11e2-85f5-
a8a9228e55e7_story.html.
+ Oberst, Lindsay. “Why School Lunches in America Are Unhealthy and 10 Ways You
Can Take Action to Improve Them.” Food Revolution Network, 10 Mar. 2020,
foodrevolution.org/blog/school-lunch-in-america/.
+ “President's Budget Would Cut Food Assistance for Millions and Radically Restructure
SNAP.” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 20 Feb. 2018,
www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/presidents-budget-would-cut-food-
assistance-for-millions-and-radically.
+ Strauss, Valerie. “Perspective | It's a Real Shame about School Lunch.” The Washington
Post, WP Company, 1 Aug. 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/08/01/its-real-
shame-about-school-lunch/.

11. + Fu, Jessica. “Debt Collectors Over Kids' School Lunch Bills? It's Real.” Yes! Magazine, 8 May
2019, www.yesmagazine.org/social-justice/2019/05/08/debt-usda-school-lunch-students/.
+Google Shopping, Google, www.google.com/shopping?hl=en&source=og&tab=if.
+“Two Weeks Of Japanese School Lunch.” The Japan Guy, 26 July 2019,
www.thejapanguy.com/ten-days-japanese-school-lunch/.
+ “Cartoon Character Design on a Budget: Mission Possible!” GraphicMama Blog, 8 Dec.
2017, graphicmama.com/blog/cartoon-character-design-on-a-budget-mission-possible/.