Over this semester when learning about food and how it impacts our everyday life I decided to do some research on food within schools. Growing up I attended schools in the Troy School District. I never bought lunch my parents would always pack me a lunch when I was younger because I was such a picky eater. Senior year is the only year I would sometimes buy lunch at school. When starting my research I was able to find the lunch special for Troy High School for the week of April 21- April 25. Along with the specials you can see what else they offer everyday for lunch. Below you are able to see what the specials are that are offered for that week:
Monday April 21:
Chili Cheese Dog Tator Tots Crunchy Carrots Garden Side Salad
Tuesday April 22:
Chicken Soft Taco Refried Beans Garden Side Salad
Wednesday April 23:
Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce Green Beans Garden Side Salad
Thursday April 24:
Baked Potato Bar Garden Side Salad
Friday April 25:
Meatball Sub Sliced Cucumbers Garden Side Salad
When looking at this menu everyday they offer a garden salad, which is healthy for students to eat as a lunch. The problem is though having a chili cheese dog, and a meatball sub offered too is not necessarily all that healthy. Another problem is that at Troy High they have three lunch times A, B and C lunch. A lunch starts at 10:28, B lunch starts at 10:58 and C lunch starts at 11:26. For example, if I had A lunch and I was going to buy lunch on Wednesday for example when they offer Penne Pasta with Meat sauce would I really want that at 10:28 in the morning. I do not think many students would want to eat that type of lunch so early in the morning. Same with a meatball sub I sure would not eat that at such an early time in the day and I know for a fact others will not either including my brother and his friends. When coming up the lunch menu I feel like they do not take into account on what time the lunches start at. They need to offer a better menu for those students that have to eat at an early time. Everyday they offer a cheese, pepperoni, and a specialty pizza. They also offer Fresh Shaved Turkey & Cheese Sub Cold Cut Italian Sub Traditional Chef Salad Caesar & Chicken Caesar Salads Specialty Salads & Sandwiches Variety of Deli & Vegetarian Sandwiches Daily Featured Soups & Salads. All of those choices are healthy for students except the pizza. I know when I would buy lunch I would get pizza, which is not healthy what so ever, but the school promotes that and it is a decent size so many students do get that on a daily basis. Most of my friends never ate the healthy foods either. I think they need to do a better job on promoting students to try and eat a healthier lunch. They should start with getting rid of the pizza because it is not healthy for you. Being in school you are up early and in school for about 8 hours and at lunch you need some nutrients to keep you going throughout the day. In the past as being a Troy High School student and a student of the Troy School District I know they have been trying to fix the lunches to have them be healthier for the students, but also have it where students enjoy what they are eating for lunch. From the past years I can tell that they have really worked on their meal choices for students. In the past they would offer fries everyday and chicken tender types of meals, which had no nutrients what so ever. When also talking about food and meals I did some research on free and reduced lunch within the Troy School District. According to the Troy School District Food Service home page it says, “Children in households getting Food Assistance Program (FAP), Family Independence Program (FIP), or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, your children can get free meals if your household income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Guidelines.” (Troy School District). For students trying to get reduced lunch prices it says, “Your children can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reduced price limits” (Troy School District). Currently 65.7% of students are eligible for the free/reduced lunch rate in all of Troy Schools combined. I think it is nice that School Districts does this for the families that are unable to provide lunches and meals for their children. I know when our class took a field trip to Loaves and Fishes the people who were giving us the tour said how they will pack little snack bags with food and snacks for children when they go home for the weekend when their parents do not have enough food or money to support them through the weekend. I think it is fantastic that there are people out there donating food to these charities to help others that are in need.
Over this semester when learning about food and how it impacts our everyday life I decided to do some research on food within schools. Growing up I attended schools in the Troy School District. I never bought lunch my parents would always pack me a lunch when I was younger because I was such a picky eater. Senior year is the only year I would sometimes buy lunch at school.
When starting my research I was able to find the lunch special for Troy High School for the week of April 21- April 25. Along with the specials you can see what else they offer everyday for lunch. Below you are able to see what the specials are that are offered for that week:
Monday April 21:
Chili Cheese Dog
Tator Tots
Crunchy Carrots
Garden Side Salad
Tuesday April 22:
Chicken Soft Taco
Refried Beans
Garden Side Salad
Wednesday April 23:
Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce
Green Beans
Garden Side Salad
Thursday April 24:
Baked Potato Bar
Garden Side Salad
Friday April 25:
Meatball Sub
Sliced Cucumbers
Garden Side Salad
When looking at this menu everyday they offer a garden salad, which is healthy for students to eat as a lunch. The problem is though having a chili cheese dog, and a meatball sub offered too is not necessarily all that healthy. Another problem is that at Troy High they have three lunch times A, B and C lunch. A lunch starts at 10:28, B lunch starts at 10:58 and C lunch starts at 11:26. For example, if I had A lunch and I was going to buy lunch on Wednesday for example when they offer Penne Pasta with Meat sauce would I really want that at 10:28 in the morning. I do not think many students would want to eat that type of lunch so early in the morning. Same with a meatball sub I sure would not eat that at such an early time in the day and I know for a fact others will not either including my brother and his friends. When coming up the lunch menu I feel like they do not take into account on what time the lunches start at. They need to offer a better menu for those students that have to eat at an early time.
Everyday they offer a cheese, pepperoni, and a specialty pizza. They also offer Fresh Shaved Turkey & Cheese Sub Cold Cut Italian Sub Traditional Chef Salad Caesar & Chicken Caesar Salads Specialty Salads & Sandwiches Variety of Deli & Vegetarian Sandwiches Daily Featured Soups & Salads. All of those choices are healthy for students except the pizza. I know when I would buy lunch I would get pizza, which is not healthy what so ever, but the school promotes that and it is a decent size so many students do get that on a daily basis. Most of my friends never ate the healthy foods either. I think they need to do a better job on promoting students to try and eat a healthier lunch. They should start with getting rid of the pizza because it is not healthy for you. Being in school you are up early and in school for about 8 hours and at lunch you need some nutrients to keep you going throughout the day.
In the past as being a Troy High School student and a student of the Troy School District I know they have been trying to fix the lunches to have them be healthier for the students, but also have it where students enjoy what they are eating for lunch. From the past years I can tell that they have really worked on their meal choices for students. In the past they would offer fries everyday and chicken tender types of meals, which had no nutrients what so ever.
When also talking about food and meals I did some research on free and reduced lunch within the Troy School District. According to the Troy School District Food Service home page it says, “Children in households getting Food Assistance Program (FAP), Family Independence Program (FIP), or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, your children can get free meals if your household income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Guidelines.” (Troy School District). For students trying to get reduced lunch prices it says, “Your children can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reduced price limits” (Troy School District). Currently 65.7% of students are eligible for the free/reduced lunch rate in all of Troy Schools combined. I think it is nice that School Districts does this for the families that are unable to provide lunches and meals for their children. I know when our class took a field trip to Loaves and Fishes the people who were giving us the tour said how they will pack little snack bags with food and snacks for children when they go home for the weekend when their parents do not have enough food or money to support them through the weekend. I think it is fantastic that there are people out there donating food to these charities to help others that are in need.
Work Cited:
http://www.troy.k12.mi.us/files/_rUHds_/801f3d0c1027c9963745a49013852ec4/Free_and_Reduced_Application_for_2013-14.docx_-_Instruction_Letter_to_Parents.pdf
https://www.michigan.gov/cepi/0,1607,7-113-21423_30451_36965---,00.html
~Kelsey Kavulich