Essay
PRO:
Above all the most important thing a student needs is a meal. Yes learning how to read or do math is also important, but those things can not happen if a student is hungry. According to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), having breakfast provided by schools improves academic performance, reduces behavioral problems, and improves children's diets. We all know the feeling of being hungry and how it can take over your mind and distract you from whatever you may be doing. According to the Children's Disease Fund, 11 million children are living in poverty in the United States. These 11 million children may not know where there next meal is coming from. Having breakfast and lunch provided by schools can ease this stress from the children and parents alike. Moreover, this doesn't just benefit children living in poverty. Children who eat breakfast at school, closer to test taking time, preform better than those who skipped breakfast or ate it at home (FRAC, 2024). Having meals provided at school for children can be beneficial for so many reasons, and not just academic based. A child who is well nourished can achieve any they set there mind to.
CON:
While providing free meals to students who can not afford it or don't have time to make it has many benefits, there are a number of cons that may not get thought of. The first being the type of food provided. According to the Noah Webster Educational Foundation because there are so many Americans being provided these lunches, the quality of the food is very low. In addition, it is no secret that children are picky eaters. In combination with low quality food, the amount of food waste is quickly on the rise. In a 2013 study by PubMed Central $1.2 billion of food provided by schools is wasted. Knowing that so much of the food provided is not being eaten, what is the point of providing it at all?
Sources:
Bylander, A., FitzSimons, C., & Bhatti, S. (2023, July 25). Benefits of School Breakfast. Food Research & Action Center. https://frac.org/programs/school-breakfast-program/benefits-school-breakfast
Child poverty. Children’s Defense Fund. (2024, January 10). https://www.childrensdefense.org/tools-and-resources/the-state-of-americas-children/soac-child-poverty/#:~:text=see%20Table%202).-,Among%20the%2074%20million%20children%20living%20in%20the%20United%20States,poverty%20even%20deeper%20into%20poverty.
Cohen, J. F. W., Richardson, S., Austin, B. S., Economos, C. D., & Rimm, E. B. (2013, February). School lunch waste among middle school students: Nutrients consumed and costs. American journal of preventive medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788640/
Pros and cons of free lunch programs. Noah Webster Educational Foundation. (2023, November 18). https://nwef.org/2021/11/22/pros-and-cons-of-free-lunch-programs/
