The document discusses challenges with the school lunch program in the US, including very tight budgets that make it difficult to provide nutritious ingredients for $1.30 per student. Around half a million students who rely on the SNAP program to receive food stamps may lose automatic eligibility for free school lunches under recent proposals. Poor nutrition from foods like expired milk, frozen meals and those high in saturated fats can negatively impact students' ability to learn and behave in class. The document also presents alternatives to improve school lunches by using locally grown ingredients, serving meals made from scratch, establishing school gardens, and educating students on nutrition.

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/.