School lunch is critical to student health and well-being and learning readiness. Lunchtime bolsters students with the nutrition they need to get through the day and learn to the best of their abilities.
But most children are not given enough time to eat their lunch at school. As an independent school leader, you probably know all too well the effort it takes to create a schedule for students to have adequate time for lunch.
It gets even more complicated when you factor in the timing of lunch and recess, which may be impacting your students more than you think. Here are some things to consider.
Time Constraints
It’s common for many students to wait in a long lunch line. Factor in the time they spend transitioning from class to the lunchroom, and they barely have enough time to eat their meal, socialize, and use the restroom before rushing back to class.
This means they’ll be hurrying through this “rest period”, and jeopardizing their health. Fast eating is associated with an increased risk of being overweight or obese. It also increases the risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, gastritis, and choking.
And, consider this: Lunchtime is much more than an hour set aside to refuel nutritionally. Lunch gives students necessary downtime to socialize with their peers. It’s a time for students to tend to their physical and mental needs after a long morning of learning. This logic holds true whether the students are in the classroom or learning remotely.
Food Waste
Another challenge that occurs when students are forced to rush through their school lunch is an increase in food waste. According to Feeding America, each year, 108 billion pounds of food is wasted in the United States. That equates to 130 billion meals and more than $408 billion in food thrown away each year. Why add unnecessary waste?
School leaders are very aware of the amount of food that is thrown away due to students not having enough time to eat. This is because students are anxious to get back to class on time, socialize more, or go play if their recess period follows.
The timing of your lunch period can also contribute to food waste. Depending on your lunch schedule, children may not be hungry. Early lunch periods, especially if your school day begins less than two hours before lunch, may not be realistic—students won’t have “worked up an appetite.” Students who aren’t hungry likely won’t eat, especially healthy foods, increasing the chance of food waste.
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Supportive Legislation
Legislation introduced by Representatives Kim Schrier, M.D. (Democrat-Washington State) and Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat-Oregon State) is designed to remedy the inadequacies when it comes to lunch and recess. They recently introduced a bill to the House of Representatives. If passed, H.R.6526, the Healthy Meal Time Act of 2022 will require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a study on the time schools participating in the National School Lunch Program serve lunch.
The study seeks to collect data on when recess is offered, and the amount of time students have to eat their lunches. The information collected from the study will be used to provide schools with standards for scheduling lunch and recess—ensuring students have enough time at the right time to eat lunch.
Lunch Schedule
Knowing when to schedule your lunch and recess can be challenging. Creating a master schedule where all students have lunch at the right time of day can be even more challenging.
Independent school leaders support their students by creating a schedule that ensures a sufficient amount of time at the right time. The perfect time of day depends on your school. But the fact remains: Students who have more time to eat healthy meals at times they are hungry will increase their overall well-being and success in the classroom.
As adults, we recognize the need for socialization and downtime to avoid burnout and health problems. This applies to our students as well. Tending to students' academic, social, emotional, and physiological needs can go a long way for supporting their students' overall well-being. Scheduling recess and lunch with adequate time (and at the optimal time) helps ensure all student needs are met.
If you’re struggling to decide when (or how) to schedule lunch and recess, we can help. In an ISM Scheduling Consultation, ISM Consultants analyze and assess your existing schedule, creating a schedule that optimizes your class day so students and staff can have the best experience possible. If you’re interested in hearing more, contact schoolsuccess@isminc.com.
