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Food for Thought
Students make important choices at lunchtime
LEENA YOUNES Reporter
O
ne of the many challenges of BV West students is securing a healthy lifestyle as well as eating habits. On a daily basis, students must make choices. One of these choices takes place in the lunchroom everyday around noon. Eating affects mood, energy, and focus during the school year, and the BV district holds responsibility for nutrition within the schools. Over the past few years, the food in the lunchroom has been somewhat of a debate between students whether or not there are enough items to choose when it comes to lunchtime. Food and Nutrition Services provides high school students with 12 different entrée choices each day. Administration enforces rules over servings of nourishment and the state determines food and nutrition. Lunches and their servings are based around meeting one-thirds of daily meal requirements per day, meaning that students will receive one-thirds of their calcium, starch, fat, calories, protein, iron, and vitamin requirements each day. LaWanna Whitcomb heads the lunch program at BV West and watches students make the decision daily. Since the BV schools allows students to pick out their own food rather than
to serve it, students are allowed to choose which items they will take or reject. Students hold responsibility for their decisions and can pick and choose how much food they want to eat. “We don’t persuade students to decrease their portions,” Whitcomb said. “If they can afford the amount they get, then it’s their responsibility to govern accordingly, after all they’re young adults in high school. The only time when we limit servings is when their parents tell us to do so.” While the amount of food is up to students, the kind and selection are still in control of the BV district and follows nutrition guidelines and regulations. With the start of the school year, students noticed that a few things had changed about their lunches. BV West recently switched the two percent milk to one percent, and the fries this year are not fried. While the change in milk wasn’t a huge difference from previous years, the change in the fries recipe was noticed by students. “The fries aren’t tasty,” junior, Katie Wernes said. “The seasoned fried ones used to be better, and it was actually one of the things that were good.” While students may not approve, there is not much that they can do about it.
BV West sticks to the nutrition guidelines and cannot simply change the menu because of student preference, but they can make suggestions. “There’s nothing we can do about changing this,” Whitcomb said. “But we substitute a product for a product if we ever run out of something. Sometimes, we do throw in some ideas to get what they like.” Because of the little changes in menu, some students simply make the choice to bring lunch from home. Noor Qaddour is a senior at BV West who has not eaten school lunch for two years due to the fact that the menu has not changed much. “There aren’t [many] options, so I decide to bring my own lunch,” Qaddour said. “The salad bar and fruits are good though.” Opinion over the food at lunch may vary, but the students have the choices and options to choose what is best for them. Nutritious lunches are vital to the achievements of the student, and the BV district strives to help its students make good choices at lunchtime with its nutrition guidelines and standards. “We can’t please everyone,” Whitcomb said. “We have those that love everything and the one’s that are tired of the same things. Although we touch on the basics, fulfilling the needs of the majority is a priority.”
Junior Alex Koch takes a bite of pizza during 1st lunch. . Pizza Hut provides lunch every day. Michelle Brox
Menu Changes for 2011-2012 School Year Whole Grain Bread sticks Whole Grain Biscuits Whole Grain Tortillas Natural Unsweetened Applesauce Tropical Fruit Mix- containing Pineapple, Papaya, and Guava Roman Lettuce Salads 1% Milk replaces 2% Milk Free Water Harvest Bar containing in season Fruits and Vegetables