Longer lunch breaks lead to healthier food choices in schools

Rebecca K. Kelly, PhD, RD

Since 1946, children have had the opportunity to participate in the National School Lunch program, a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. In 2012, this program provided low-cost or free lunches to more than 31 million children each school day, at a cost of $11.6 billion. School lunches must meet meal pattern and nutrition standards based on the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans to include the availability of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the school menu, while setting age appropriate meals. 

As a registered dietitian, architect of health improvement programs, and mother of two teenagers, it was no surprise to view the results of a recent article examining the association between the amount of time to eat lunch and school meal selection and consumption. Cohen, et al’s recently published article in the Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that students who had less than 20 minutes to eat lunch, consumed significantly decreased entrée, milk, and vegetable consumption as compared to students who had at least 25 minutes to eat.

For all students, eating is not only essential, it is an opportunity for experiential learning that can take place in a real setting each school day. Policy makers, administrators, and teachers have a unique opportunity to engage students in life lessons that will can enrich and sustain a student’s health and well-being from adolescence through adulthood. I believe that adding five additional minutes is one of the wisest investments in the well-being of an entire student population.

The authors mentioned that a limitation of the study included the lack of personal preferences. I would also add that the placement of the fruit on the food line – as well as the student’s perceptions of speed and convenience might also serve as factors that have reduced the selection of fruit by many students. Based on food preferences of fruits and vegetables, a more tailored approach to preferences is essential. Additionally, meal patterns at home can also influence the choice of food at school.

A 2015 Study on America’s Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables by the Produce for Better Health Foundation found that fruit and vegetable intake was lower among the Hispanic population during the period of the Cohen et al study (2011-12). More recently, both fruit and vegetable intake has been steadily increasing among the Hispanic population, with fruit juice consumption also higher in this population.  Therefore, continued research with various student populations is essential to gain a better understanding of both time, selection and consumption of food choices.

In addition to increasing time, I would encourage the exploration of additional ways to enrich the nutrition and food experience for our children. The national school lunch program can provide health promotion techniques to encourage healthy eating through a five star plate review, the provision of sample healthy plate for children to view in advance of selecting, and offering smoothies. These tactics can help guide students on the right path of healthy eating. Introducing a snack break may also be beneficial – as a healthier body mass index has been associated with eating more frequent meals and snacks as compared to fewer meals. Finally, exploring partnership to introduce community gardens at the school can also lead students to a better understanding of the role that fruits and vegetables play in the healthy nutrition and health of our bodies.

Penny Kris-Etherton , PhD, RD, FAHA

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 has improved the nutrition quality of school meals. Children are now eating 16% more vegetables and 23% more fruit, more whole grains, and less sugar, salt and fat. For many students, especially from low-income families, school meals are an important source of energy and nutrients that promote good health and academic success. It is evident, however, that the school environment and specifically the length of the lunch period also affects food, energy and nutrient intake.

The findings of this paper make it resoundingly clear that providing adequate nutrition to school age children requires sufficient time to eat lunch – meaning the actual time to sit and eat, not just the time of the lunch period. Whereas there are legal mandates to assure nutrient quality of school meals, there are no polices in place at the district, state or national levels to assure adequate time for children to consume their lunch meal.

Our long-standing efforts to provide a first-rate educational experience to our children is inextricably linked to adequate nutrition, which is a function of both nutrient quality of the meal and sufficient time to consume the meal. Of significance also is that a sufficient mealtime benefits social and learning interactions, which are important attributes of the educational environment. Not to be overlooked is that other research has shown that longer lunchtimes lead to a decrease in wasted food, an often cited challenge among school food service programs. Longer lunch times can also help in the success of these programs.

Nationwide, we have a problem with insufficient mealtime at schools. This is not something, however, that can be fixed by passing a law. Rather, it needs to be fixed at the local level by those who create the school day schedules. Parents, school boards, and administrators should re-examine the school day and ensure that there is enough time for children to not only get to the lunchroom, but have time to get through the line, pay, eat, and clean up after themselves. Providing a longer lunchtime will improve nutrient intake and benefit the nutritional status of our nation’s children, especially those at risk of hunger and inadequate nutrition, as well as benefit the social and learning environment at school for all children.