Walk down to any of Socastee High School’s four lunch periods, and you see a long line. Lunch periods are 20 minutes long, but it takes some 10-15 minutes to get through the lunch line when buying, causing students only to have a few minutes to eat their lunch and sometimes throw away a lot of their food. Students need more time to eat at lunch.
The first reason why students need more time to eat at lunch is that students are not getting enough nutrients when they have a shorter lunch period. According to a 2015 Harvard School of Public Safety study, “Students with a short lunch period, they would consume less nutritious foods and eat food that is quick and easy.” This affects students’s health. Another study showed that having to eat lunch so quickly can lead to long-term health issues like diabetes, depression, and heart problems. According to Northwestern Medicine, “leisurely eating is better for your health, especially when it comes to digestion, weight and nutrition. When you eat too fast you swallow more air, which can cause bloating and gas. Slowing down to properly chew your food helps to break down larger particles of food into smaller ones, aiding digestion.” Due to shorter lunch periods, students don’t have enough time to digest their food, and longer lunch periods would help them with that.
The second reason why students need more time to eat at lunch is they don’t have enough time to hang out with friends. Lunch time is a great time for students to develop their social skills. In many K-12 schools across the U.S.,” the lunch environment has not been viewed to help meet students’ needs for community and socialization” (Harrell, 2017). Socializing is great for students, and can help them be more comfortable with the school. “School lunch periods provide time for social and emotional development where students can build community and help each other” (Sparks, 2019). Talking to other people brings social connections and stronger friendships. Communication is an important part of a friendship, and not being able to do that is tough.
The third and final reason why students need more time to eat at lunch is that shorter periods tend to affect students’ learning abilities. Students with shorter lunch periods tend to have poorer grades because they don’t eat as much. According to a 2015 study done by the USDA, “Students who lack nutrients tend to be irritable and have difficulty concentrating, which can interfere with learning and academic performance.” For a student, it’s difficult when their stomach is growling, and distracts them from learning. According to harrisschoolssoultions.com, “studies have shown that students score twice as well on tests and assessments when they aren’t trying to learn on an empty stomach.” Food helps kids focus on their schoolwork, and having enough time to eat the lunches will help motivate students to learn.
Some say lunches should not be longer due to missed class time, and having to squeeze in the lesson. Also, it could make the school day longer. However, it’s worth taking a few minutes out of class time because students tend to enjoy their food more. They don’t have to rush to talk to friends or to eat their food. It helps them not have to worry about school work and are able to live their life a little easier.
Students need more time to eat lunch. They don’t get enough nutrients when they have a shorter lunch period. They also don’t have enough time to hang out with friends and shorter lunch periods tend to affect students’ learning abilities. Socastee should put in at least a 30-minute lunch period for all four lunches.
