By Zachary Krady
The food that the school cafeteria has to offer plays an important role in students’ performances throughout the day as well as their health. While a great variety of snacks and meals are provided by the school, some students feel that there could be healthier options implemented by administration.
Giving students access to nutritional snacks can improve their performance in the classroom. This is evident in many studies, which say that healthier snacks provide the brain with the energy that it needs to function properly. For example, students that eat more nutritious options are able to focus better and remember more. Also, other studies have shown that healthier diets can correlate with higher grades. In contrast, snacks that contain more sugar have proven to give students more energy than they need which can cause behavioral issues and trouble with concentration.
One student, sophomore Hagai Frechter, supports this idea. “I think it’s a great idea to add healthier snacks because most times students don’t get the proper nutrition they need from school and it is important to prioritize this to allow students to thrive.”
Along with advancing students’ performance in the classroom, adding nutritional snacks allows students to build up long-term eating habits. School is where students learn and build routines that they carry with them throughout their life. If the cafeteria only has unhealthy snacks available, students will be more likely to develop unhealthy eating habits. Meanwhile, if the classroom offers nutritious snacks, then students will be inclined to continue to eat healthier as they grow up and when they are making food decisions outside of school.
Another student expresses his feelings towards the addition of nutritious snacks. “When I eat healthier foods in school I feel more energized and focused as opposed to unhealthy snacks that make it harder for me to learn,” says sophomore Keaton Cole.
However, adding healthier options can have its negatives. Some argue that these snacks could be more expensive compared to the regular snacks, on top of being not as popular. This could mean that not many students will buy the healthier options, resulting in the school losing money.
Ultimately, Irvington administration should definitely consider adding more nutritious snacks into the cafeteria because of how it fuels students to learn and can promote healthy habits for students to carry throughout their lives.
Comments are closed.