[Name of writer]

[Name of supervisor]

[Subject]

[Date]

Unhealthy Food at School Cafeterias

Introduction

Mankind can bring itself to thank God enough for the blessings He has endowed upon us. Wherever, we move our sight, our eyes witness nothing else but the countless blessings in our environments, surroundings, and lives. However, amongst those blessings which God has bestowed upon us, the most valuable blessing is believed to be the sound health of a person. The whole dynamics of the life change if a person possesses sound health, in comparison to the condition when either a person is bed ridden, or somehow is deprived to relish the beauty of the world or life, due to some physical ailment of impairment.

However, a lot has changed in this domain over the years. Although there did exist ailments and diseases in the ancient times, but the level of purity and health was incomparable to the modern world. It is believed that as the world has progresses, impurities have found the course in our lives and nutrition, and the most common victims of this impurity are believed to be the children. Mainly because, the children are not only prone to the fascinating eating items available outside, but it has somehow become an integral part of their diet.

Current eating habits of children

As discussed earlier, not only did the purity remaining the eatables as it earlier used to be, but also the eating habits of the children have changed to a drastic extent. Most of the children of today's era, do not prefer to eat the different vegetables and pulses, as well as meat that is cooked at home; what they really relish is not the home cooked food, but what they get from outside. The children are more prone to the junk and fast food rather than the healthy food of home. The excessively increasing habit of consuming the junk food has played a pivotal role in deteriorating the sound health of the children, and posing other dangers, as well, and obesity is amongst the major concerns.

Most importantly, the attraction of fast food is not only confined to the restaurants and eating places of the neighbourhood, but it has successfully paved its way, into the lives of the children in their schools, as well. As mentioned above, researchers have found that children relish to eat almost everything that is not home cooked. Therefore, as much as the authorities of the school try to introduce the non-junk food into the cafeterias, there still exists a significant question regarding the degree of hygiene and threats it poses to the sound health of the children (Carlsson & Williams, p. 400).

Food at cafeteria

Researches up till now have broadly proved that the food served at the cafeterias of the schools is not only unhygienic, but also poses certain threats to the health of children. The process of making and delivering that food is a real eye opener to all the parents who give their children daily allowances to eat from the school rather than taking the lunch from home.

The food at the cafeteria mainly comprises of the junk food, such as burgers, hotdogs, wings, the branded fast food items, and much more. What has been revealing about the food that is served at the cafeteria is regarding the quality it possessed. From the outlook, the meal may look really clean and well cooked, but the investigation has proven that the staffs, which are responsible for meeting the need of eatables for the children at schools and cooking them, give negligible significance to the quality of the process and the hygiene that the food must endure. Therefore, the overall excellence of the meal deteriorates and poses a significant threat to children.

Trying to cope up with the demand of the children regarding the attractive food, the management of the cafeteria tries to include such items in the menu that may attract the most attention of the children, and fast food and other sweet items such as donuts and other items top list, and hence the demand (Farenga & Ness, p.52).

Why is the food unhealthy?

The prime factors why the food is unhealthy have been broadly elaborated in the previous section. The basic quality of the food is amongst the major factors, as though why the food available at the cafeteria is deemed as unhealthy. The management of the cafeteria pay high attention to meet the quantity rather than quality; therefore, it is possible than in order to meet the quantity, the quality is compromised.

Amongst other factors, is a dire concern of the food being fresh. Most of time left over of the previous days is served on the current day, as well. The food is either stale or has lost its total essence, and hence is not at all healthy for the children to consume. Moreover, most of the times the management itself does not prepare the food; they either lack the required resources to prepare the food themselves, or it is not practically possible for them to make all the food; hence they prefer to buy the already prepared food from the third party and serve at schools. This again raises the question, regarding the level of quality, of the food the third party maintains. If the food acquired is below the desired quality, then the risks of health are further escalated. The management of the cafeteria does not bear in mind the proper diet plan, which may include the necessary nutritious food and all the required proteins and vitamins, nor do they take the suggestion from any dietician or doctor before devising the menu for the cafeteria.

Dangers it poses

The biggest danger that the unhealthy food poses, is undoubtedly to the health of the children as well as the teachers. The children are believed to fall victims of stomach aches, diarrhea, constant vomiting, numerous infections and other diseases.

The biggest risk this unhealthy condition of the children poses is to the sound learning. As much as the children will fall sick, the less school will be attended by him/her. the absence from school will not only deprive the child to learn valuable course lessons at school, but will also compel the child to keep up with the pace, by which the teacher is covering the course. However, with the ailing condition, the challenge for the child to pace up with the school and his peers is rather tough and difficult.

Moreover, not only will the studies of the student be affected, but it will also have a dire and negative impact on the extracurricular activities of the children. A sick and unhealthy child can never meet the physical challenges the extracurricular activities pose. This will keep him away from participating in sports or other activities to a significant level. Moreover, seeing other children relishing the fitness and the charm of the games, will also make him regret his condition, and hence can have a substantial impact on one's esteem (Gryder, P. 20).

Remedial measures by school staff and parent

In order, to safeguard the children from the previously mentioned adverse condition, imposes great responsibilities on not only the parents, but also the teachers and management of the schools. It is highly imperative that the parent must take utmost care of the health of their children; therefore, besides carrying out regular checkups of their health, the mothers must also manage to prepare their lunch at home, which they may eat at schools rather than the unhealthy food which is available at the cafeteria.

Moreover, the nearby healthcare centers should make regular inspections, to verify the quality of the food that is served in the cafeterias, besides conducting the regular checkups of the children at schools. Furthermore, the real responsibility falls on the shoulders of the management of the school and the teachers. The management of the school must play a pivotal role in assuring that the food which the cafeteria provides to the children not only possesses the adequate quality, but also focus on the quality of the processes via which the food is prepared. Even if, the management of the café is buying the food from third party, the school is responsible to grant the permission, as well as validate the quality which the third party possesses (Kish, p. 2).

Conclusion

Nothing is more valuable than the health. Therefore, it is imperative that both parents and management of the child take stern measures to safeguard the health of their children. Moreover, it is extremely important that the right sense is inculcated into the children regarding the benefits of healthy food, and the hazards which the external and the fast food entail.

Works Cited

Carlsson, L. and P. L. Williams. "New Approaches to the Health Promoting School: Participation in Sustainable Food Systems." Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition. 3 (4):. (2008), p. 400-417

Center for Ecoliteracy. Rethinking School Lunch. Berkeley, CA: Center for Ecoliteracy. (. 2004). p.165

Farenga, S. and D. Ness.. "Going Locavore: Teaching Students about the Benefits of Food Produced Locally." Science Scope. 33 (5): (2010) p.52-56.

Gryder, S. D.. "Many Routes to Many Roots." School Nutrition. 64 (6): (2010). P. 20-30.

Kish, S. From Farm to School: Improving Small Farm Viability and School Meals. [Washington, D.C.]: USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). (2008). p. 2