Cafeterias Should Not Limit What Their Students Eat. Opinion Piece

Cafeterias should NOT limit what students eat!

It has been proposed that school cafeterias start limiting what their students eat, as in opting for more healthy choices. Yes, some may argue that schools should have healthier food choices, due to the high rise in child obesity and other related illnesses, but the fact is that why should ‘junk food’ be eliminated for the good of all, when it really only benefits a few? Arguments against obesity, the high price of nutritional food, and freedom of choice may arise.

The biggest issue against the fact that cafeterias should not limit what their students purchase is most definitely obesity. We may all agree that child obesity is on the rise and it is a problem that should be taken very seriously. However obesity can be caused by many things, like ones genetics, self-esteem problems, and obviously overeating. One has to take into consideration the fact that ‘junk food’ is not bad if eaten with moderation. Even the most balanced diet is made of sugars, fats and salts, in that case, how should students know what really is healthy and what is not? If a school really wants to make an improvement in the health of their students, schools should have more mandatory physical education classes to improve student’s fitness levels, and teach their students what is right to eat and what is not.

It is actually a fact that healthier, less caloric foods are often more expensive than the average junk food. Researchers from the University of Washington, compared the prices of over 300 foods, and noted that not only does junk food cost less than healthy foods, but also that junk food prices are less probable to rise due to inflation. This is just another reason why students tend to mostly turn to fast foods; it is only because they are cheaper. Being a student, money is always an issue, and as much as one would like to have a salad or some whole wheat pasta from the cafeteria, it is just easier to let down $2.50 for a serving of...