Students have many food options to eat for lunch in their school cafeteria. Some students buy their lunch while some students bring their lunch from home. Whether it’s made at home or school many students tend to go towards the more unhealthy foods, rather than the healthier foods. Menus in most school lunch programs are too high in saturated fat and cholesterol, and too low in fiber. To reverse the increasing obesity, early-onset diabetes (which leads to needing hemodialysis services), and hypertension in children and teens, schools are trying to cut down on their unhealthy food options. Schools are focusing more on getting healthier foods into their cafeteria for their students. They are trying to add more fruits and vegetables, salad, and wraps.

Many students are not fully aware of what is in the food that they are eating for lunch. Also many do not look at the food labels to educate themselves more of what they are actually eating. Freshman, Madison Heitz, says “Students at Padua are given healthy choices along with not so healthy choices but whatever choice the student makes is on them, not on Padua.” Students are ultimately making the decision between unhealthy or healthy foods, but the students need guidance to make the right decision. By having more healthy food in their home and their cafeteria,Students are more likely to take the healthy direction. Also, being educated about all types of foods and how they are made plays a massive influence on the students decisions. Students learn about health, more in depth, mostly in their health and physical education classes.

Parents, teachers, family, and friends of these students need to push students to make good health decisions. Students need that push to try new healthy foods and by providing them with those foods, it will help them live a healthier life. With this push, these students will realize that eating healthy is vital to staying healthy and fit.