Opinion
School Climate & Safety Letter to the Editor

Healthy Lunchrooms For Healthy Students

April 03, 2013 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

As educators, we seek to prepare students for life. We nurture their personal and social development along with teaching academic competencies. But our efforts are being undercut by school lunchroom menus that put students’ physical well-being at risk.

The latest study of half a million men and women in 10 European countries found a positive association between the consumption of processed meat and early mortality. The greater the consumption of processed meat—ham, bacon, sausages, and prepackaged meats—the greater the risk, especially of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The culprits seem to be fat, salt, smoke, and nitrates used as preservatives. Lifestyle also factors in.

As reported by many news outlets, the study’s researchers found that a diet that was high in processed meat included additional unhealthy choices. The men and women in the study who ate the most processed meat also ate the fewest fruits and vegetables and were more likely to smoke, while men who ate a lot of meat also tended to have high alcohol consumption.

A lifetime cut short by unhealthy choices is not what we wish for our students. Success in continued learning and a career may be our focus, but we can best serve our students by also nurturing their physical health.

My interest in school lunchroom menus began in earnest when I discovered that during her first week in kindergarten, my first grandchild had eaten a hot dog each day. To this day, processed meats in various forms are offered regularly in her school system and in my own community.

We must revise school menus to protect and promote the health of our children. Processed meats must be eliminated from school lunchroom menus.

Sally Ann Connolly

Danvers, Mass.

The writer has worked as a high school counselor and teacher.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the April 03, 2013 edition of Education Week as Healthy Lunchrooms For Healthy Students

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
The Future of the Science of Reading
Join us for a discussion on the future of the Science of Reading and how to support every student’s path to literacy.
Content provided by HMH
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
From Classrooms to Careers: How Schools and Districts Can Prepare Students for a Changing Workforce
Real careers start in school. Learn how Alton High built student-centered, job-aligned pathways.
Content provided by TNTP
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School Climate & Safety What Makes Schools Safe? Researchers Outline These 4 Key Recommendations
Researchers distilled dozens of studies to create practical school safety recommendations.
5 min read
Pictures of the Week North America Photo Gallery 23236807597084
Melissa Alvarez hugs her son, Ignacio, then 2, during a special session of the state legislature on public safety on Aug. 23, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn., following a deadly school shooting that March. New research drawing on scores of studies identifies some of the most important steps schools can take to stop violence on their campuses.
George Walker IV/AP
School Climate & Safety Spotlight Spotlight on Enhancing School Safety and Emergency Response
This Spotlight will help you explore proactive measures and effective strategies for enhancing school safety and emergency response.
School Climate & Safety Leading a District After a School Shooting Is Hard. These Superintendents Want to Help
A network of superintendents who've led districts after school shootings plans to support colleagues recovering from similar crises.
4 min read
Photograph of crime scene tape and school.
F. Sheehan for Education Week / Getty
School Climate & Safety States Emphasize School Violence Prevention, Not Just Security
In the wake of school shootings in their states last year, legislators hope to avert future tragedies.
7 min read
Local residents pray during a candlelight vigil following a shooting at Perry High School, on Jan. 4, 2024, in Perry, Iowa.
Local residents pray during a candlelight vigil following a shooting at Perry High School, on Jan. 4, 2024, in Perry, Iowa. The deaths in school shootings last year have led to new legislation in a half-dozen states.
Charlie Neibergall/AP