Rosalee Brown

With many mothers and grandmothers working outside the home, younger children usually attend pre-school and day care facilities.

Some of these children, as young as two years old, are fed one or more meals by somebody other than their parents, five days out of the week. As they continue their school lives, this feeding pattern could continue until these children are 18 years old. This time span encompasses the important, formative years of their lives. A meal impacts on various facets of one's life.

My cornmeal porridge

How many of us still remember, maybe not with nostalgia, the lunches served in these early years? My favourite was cornmeal porridge at infant school. It was served in chrome-like plates with buttered hard-dough, white bread placed on top, which I would quickly sink to the bottom in order to receive another piece (I wasn't the only one!).

I was a 'country' girl and enjoyed my lunch. However, there were others who hated the bulgur and curry 'meat'. I still remember fruits which would be brought in by farmers, who had a glut, for us to enjoy as part of our lunches at infant school.

I was not fortunate to have lunch at primary school, since I lived next door and had to go home for lunch. I would have much preferred to have lunch with my friends.

In high school, I became more independent and looked forward to buying food from the tuck shop. There were favourites like cake, cheese and soda; no more cooked food. We had no lunchroom, no formal cooked lunch programme and, when you are in high school, you did as you pleased, even if you chose not to have lunch or to have 'junk' for lunch. Sounds familiar? We are permanently affected by what we eat during those years.

Lunch is important

Lunch time at Salters Hill Basic School in John's Hall, St. James. - Herbert McKenis/Freelance Photographer

Lunch should provide one-third of our daily nutritional requirement and, I am not just referring to the government- funded lunch programmes. Our students' nutritional health is important even where government lunches are not provided. This means careful attention should be placed on menu choices and preparation methods. The school is an environment for learning which should include meals and social graces.

It is time that schools employ trained food service personnel to operate the food service facilities. This is big business, as in some high schools, the lunch costs are higher than those of outside food stores. Schools should also employ the services of nutrition professionals to help in revising the lunch programme and to offer regular consultation to ensure its proper functioning.

Eating under trees

The emerging problem of chronic lifestyle diseases in our children should stir us to action. Children are getting 'fatter' and we are seeing more children with Type 2 diabetes and young teens with high blood pressure. Yes, their lunch plays a role in this!

Children also need a designated place to have their lunches; not standing under trees! Schools do have space constraints, but those with multi-purpose areas and auditoriums need to consider dining areas, and those without, need to insist that students use the classroom for eating.

Students need time to eat and many students forego the canteen lunch for the option 'over the fence' because of time constraints. Schools need to go back to the drawing board; students need at least 30 minutes for eating.

Parents need to attend parents/teachers association meetings and let their collective voices be heard on the matter of the overhauling of the school lunch programmes. Our children's lives depend on it!

Rosalee M. Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.