On a typical school morning, a student finds herself unsatisfied with the brunch options. On Fridays, she chooses to have a burrito for brunch but is nauseated with the filling of egg, cheese, and potatoes. “They don’t consider that some vegetarians don’t eat eggs,” she says. “And sometimes on days when I’m looking forward to the meal, I’ll be disappointed to find out that they only have the meat version and that I will have to buy myself a lunch or eat nothing because I’m being excluded from the free lunch,” she remarks. This is just the voice of one student.

After hours of classes, the one thing students push through to make is lunch. Some days, as soon as the pre-lunch period bell rings, students either instantly walk down the hill to town, pull out their home lunch, or stand in line at the cafeteria. Those that wait in line and don’t read the menu will slowly make their way to the front eager for what’s being served and once they see; they’ll instantly leave. This begs the question: Is it the food or the students in the wrong?

 It could just be that American students tend to be not as grateful for the food put on their plate. It’s common to be frowned upon in Japan when you don’t eat what you’re fortunate enough to receive because it may not be the right texture or taste that you favor. In consequence, picky kids are posted as the wrongs of society while the grateful are shined upon and models for health and citizenship. In Japan after WWII, Japanese students and families were aware of what true hunger was because of the poverty Japan faced. The tradition was passed down and is still practiced to this day. Hence, students were and still are grateful for what they receive at school even if they hate its smell, texture, appearance, or taste. This practice is called “もったいない” or “motanai ” and perhaps it’s something that American students should try and make use of. 

Many students have shown favor in eating new items on the menu that they are curious about. “ Potato Bar? What’s that?” many students questioned while reading the menu. They’re shown to favor eating new items more than the old ones. “It’s exciting when they have new things on the menu like the baked potatoes.” With this fact, perhaps more students would eat the school provide lunch more if the menu had new items every once in a while. 

A common issue that the USDA enforces in schools is the requirement to provide milk for students. Most schools will provide soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, etc. for lactose intolerant students but in most cases, they don’t promote the option. Here at the MHS a majority of the time students will only take a milk if it’s paired with cereal. If they choose to not have milk, they’re required to take a fruit juice made from concentrate imported from five different countries.

Others may think that since we get freedom during lunch to go into town and buy whatever we want, that our school lunches don’t need effort enough for the students to like it. With high school students knowing their school provided meals are made at another school and transported here to be reheated, they are often decide not to eat the free food and buy something from town. They waste the opportunity of a free meal to instead buy a meal they like the flavor of better that costs usually over $10.  

Another issue students face is the promotion of vegetarian food. “I like the mac n cheese a lot, but they hardly ever have the vegetarian one available for me to get.” Most times when a brunch item is non-vegetarian, they only make a few and save it for those that ask, hardly promoting it enough for it to be noticeable.

Students are given the privilege to buy whatever they want which discourages them to eat what they are given. If they recognize the privilege of free meals, perhaps they would waste less food and be more grateful.