by Michaela Lamb |

Assuming that one child eats one meal a day at lunch, with no additional sides or extras, $50 will only last approximately 22 days in the cafeteria, whereas a parent can purchase groceries from the store and students can bring whatever they want in their lunches.
“I bring my lunch from home everyday. It’s not a hassle for me, and I think that I am probably eating healthier bringing my lunch than I would be if I ate here everyday,” junior Alexandria Donovan said.
This is not something that is particular to the Liberty School District. According to The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service’s Website, “appropriate nutrient and calorie levels [are] determined by averaging school lunches planned to be offered over a school week.” This approach works if you have only one meal choice for every student who will be eating hot lunch at school, but when you get up to the junior and senior high level, you have more than three choices and the ability to buy double lunches or choices like pizza and French fries everyday, all week long.
Options are good. They take the monotony out of life and can spice up someone’s day. The school cafeteria provides many different options. With five or so different meal options a day, it seems like it would be easier to find something healthy to eat. Veggies and salads, along with fruit and low-fat milk, are available every day.
The pepperoni pizza at this school has 410 calories, according to the nutrition information available on the school’s website. The nutrition information for french-fries was not provided.
If you would like more information on the food you are eating at school, like nutrition information, allergens and the suppliers the food comes from, log onto the Liberty Public School’s website and search for ‘nutrition’.
For more information on national school lunch regulations check out http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/.