By Yesenia As children are constantly growing and developing, it’s crucial to provide them with a delicate balance of essential nutrients. School lunches tend to include many options for students to select from, all inclined to follow certain regulations implemented by the state and country. Ensuring school lunches are packed with these nutrients can significantly impact their physical health, cognitive development, and energy levels. Setting a foundation for a healthy and productive lifestyle.  Figure 1. Amount of Food per Week (minimum per day) Note: Adapted from U.S. Department of Agriculture 2024, National School Lunch Program Meal Pattern Nutrients like protein, calcium and vitamin D are essential for building and maintaining…

By: Diego Romero The COVID-19 pandemic was not only a stressful time for parents and heads of their respective families but also a very depressing and concerning time for students. Students were unsure when they’d be back in school, and many depended on school for the nutritional meals they offered. During the pandemic’s economic uncertainty, the Trump Administration offered free school breakfasts and lunches for all students. During this time from 2020-2022, all states offered free meals for their students. This bill expired in the summer of 2022, and since then universal school meals have become another topic that Democrats and Republicans can’t see eye to eye on.  When Vice…

Why School Meals Should be Funded. By: Michele and Yesenia Across the country, in more than 100,000 schools, an army of cooks prepares over 30 million school lunches each day (USAFacts, 2023). Just a few hours later, a line of hungry students will eagerly await, to receive, what could be their only meal of the day. For many families, this is not just a meal; it is a lifeline. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) aims to provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to as many students as possible, ensuring no student goes hungry during the school day. Funding school lunches is an essential investment that benefits the health…

America the Beautiful… and the Hungry By: Michele Wu Americans love their food. From oversized burgers to milkshakes that could double as deserts, food in the United States is often depicted as a symbol of abundance. When Boris Yeltsin, a former Soviet and Russian politician, made an impromptu stop at an American grocery store in 1989, the variety of what was available left him in shock. “Even the Politburo doesn’t have this choice. Not even Mr. Gorbachev,” he remarked. Yeltsin’s astonishment highlighted the vast bounty that America enjoys; it is, after all, called the land of plenty.   Unknown. (1989). Boris Yeltsin in an American Grocery Store (Photograph). Clear Lake,…