The School Lunch Dilemma

It’s safe to say that I wasn’t President Obama’s biggest supporter. I recognise that he seemed like a good guy, and I respect him for that and as a former President. I just couldn’t agree with many of his policies.

As a result of her husband’s policies, I often simply assumed I would not agree with Michelle Obama on many of her decisions. However, I found that I did agree with one of the former First Lady’s “policies”. She made it her mission in her unofficial position of First Lady, to make changes in school health standards and do what she could to fight the obesity epidemic in youths around the country.

I started High School when the “Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010” which was heavily advocated by Mrs. Obama was passed. This act drastically raised the standard of foods served by schools that received any funding from the federal government in a bid to make the students at these schools healthier.

Over the course of the 4 years, starting in 2010, when I was in High School I watched as the soda and candy was replaced with juices, sugar-free drinks, and granola bars. Our lunches also became healthier, and less edible. It frustrated me to see the drinks and snacks I enjoyed leave, and I definitely made “home lunches” as the standards were raised. The changes even caused a few issues when I needed sugar to raise my blood sugar while I was at school.

As much as I disliked the changes that were made during my time in school, looking back, I think it was fantastic how Michelle Obama used her standing in our nation’s political hierarchy to make a lasting change that would benefit many of the country’s youth.

The new standards brought consumption of vegetables up 16% and consumption of fruits up 23% according to a new study by the USDA. That same study also found that these new standards were not harming schools financially, or creating an increase in food waste.

Sadly, Saturday marked the end of these changes. The Trump Administration has succeeded in lowering the quality of food served in public schools around the country. The amount of whole grains served could potentially be halved, and sugar-filled drinks will be reintroduced.

This backtracking on the Obama-era standards has left many experts surprised and confused, especially considering that 99.85% of schools nationwide were successfully meeting the new, higher standards.

What do you think? Was there a good reason for the standard to be lowered? Should the Obama-era standards have been kept?