Students wait in the lunch line.
For the 2021-22 school year, The United States Department of Agriculture and California Department of Education have required the San Mateo Union High School District to begin offering free meals — breakfast, snack and lunch — to all students.
Previously, the Free and Reduced Price Meal Program required families to submit an application about their financial status to qualify for discounted school lunches. Because California’s cost of living is the third most expensive in the country, some low-income families in the state may not have been eligible.
“Offering [free meals] to everybody eliminates the barrier and stigma so it doesn’t distinguish the people who are on free and reduced lunch from a student who can afford it,” said health teacher Justin Cottrell. “[Another benefit is that] a lot of students who … don’t normally get breakfast at home are able to take the advantage … [and] likely stay awake in class and pay attention [because they are full].”
The California state government plans to permanently continue funding public school lunches under the Free School Meals for All Act. In addition to improving students’ learning abilities, free meals eliminate expense concerns for public schools, especially because in the past, the SMUHSD has spent more money on food than it gained from sales.
Demand for meals has increased from an average of 1727 meals to 3477 meals daily districtwide, pushing food preparation employees to work harder.
“Some people [work] extra hours, but … we just need more employees,” said Aragon Nutrition Services Lead Emilia Rivera. “There’s only so much we can do.”
Similarly, manufacturers are in a shortage of staff because many were laid off during the pandemic. This poses a challenge for producers and distributors, ultimately limiting the variety of the food served.
“Offering [free meals] to everybody eliminates the barrier and stigma“
“[Before the pandemic], you submit an order and you get your full order,” said principal Valerie Arbizu. “Right now we’re submitting orders, [but] we don’t always get everything that we’ve asked for. There are some national shortages of different ingredients like ketchup or mustard packets, [which] take a toll on what your menu finally looks like.”
All snacks distributed on California school campuses are in accordance with the 35-10-35 mandate, which requires that snacks must consist of no more than 35% fat calories, 10% saturated fat calories and 35% sugar by weight.
“We carry a bag of Hot Cheetos, [but] it’s not the same Hot Cheetos you see in the grocery stores,” said the SMUHSD Director of Student Nutrition Denis Vorrises. “It’s made differently to meet … the state’s calories, fat, sugar [and] salt regulations.”
In 2010, Michelle Obama enforced the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, making snack options for high school carts and vending machines “Zero Sugar,” “Low Calorie” or “Low Fat” versions of normal name-brand foods. In 2012, the American Beverage Association, which represents Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc., launched a program that added the decal “Calories Count: Check Then Choose” and showed calorie counts on the buttons of the beverage vending machines.
“It seems like the intent [of the sticker was] to get students to be aware of what they were eating in terms of calories,” Cottrell said. “But, I think the impact can be … negative because it can lead [students] to depriving themselves of food or skipping meals if they feel like they’re going to go over their calorie count for that day.”
Although the slogan attempted to encourage healthy diets, it could trigger eating disorders and dieting.
“For people who don’t have a great relationship with food, … seeing [the sticker] causes [them to] compare … what they eat to what somebody else is eating,” said senior Maggie Cayanan. “Food is fuel, and if you’re … getting enough nutrients in your diet and staying healthy by giving your body what it needs, [as opposed to] what fad diets or ‘health magazines’ say, … then you can be sustained [throughout] the day.”
Cayanan and senior Julia Jeck brought the “Calories Count!” label to Arbizu’s attention and the District Nutrition Department removed it in two weeks.
“Even though not too many people knew it at the time, … it was … like a little victory for Julia and I, knowing that what we did made an impact,” Cayanan said.
The SMUHSD Nutrition Department will continue to regulate the food’s quality, hire cafe workers and endorse California’s Free School Meals For All Act.
