West Ottawa student Evan Janetzke makes his way down the hallway, determined to be the first in the Burrito line. Zipping around the corner, he looks, and… already a mile long. The 15 minute wait in line gave him only 15 more minutes to scarf his burrito, milk, pineapple, and peas down. The lunch routine at West Ottawa High School is not healthy and needs to be changed.
Most schools, including West Ottawa, are limited to 30 minute or shorter lunch periods. By the time students get dismissed from class, get through the long lines and sit down, their time to eat and socialize is cut by half. Lunch is a time to eat, socialize, and relax. But with 30-minute lunch periods, students only meet one of those requirements.
With only a half hour for lunch, students are missing out on many learning opportunities. Dr. Arthur Agatston, cardiologist and creator of the South Beach Diet, agrees. He told the New York Times, “The lunchroom culture is fast food. But it shouldn’t be fast food. The teacher should be sitting at the table with a tablecloth for a civilized meal. I think it’s a huge learning opportunity for kids.” Whether it’s manners, or socializing, students need more time during lunch to improve on these important life skills.
Since class time does not present many opportunities to socialize with each other, Schools need to utilize lunch time into a social time, so students can focus more during their classes.
Cognitive research has shown longer lunch periods could lead to more productivity during the day. A study led by Alejandro Lleras, a psychology professor at The University of Illinois, showed information which proves people who take longer breaks perform better on simple tasks than people who do not. So adding just an extra 15 minutes to lunch could cause more time to be saved later in the day due to more efficiency from the students.
Shorter lunch periods have also been proven to correlate with wasted food. A recent study by Juliana F.W. Cohen, ScD, ScM, of the department of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said, “When selecting an entrée, students with less than 20 minutes to eat consumed 13% less than students whose lunch period exceeded 25 minutes. Those with the shorter lunch periods also consumed 11.8% fewer vegetables and 10.3% less milk.” With limited time to eat, more food goes to waste since students don’t have enough time to finish eating.
Not only wasted food, but shorter lunch periods can lead to digestive problems in students, along with eating disorders and obesity. In a study by the National Library of Medicine, 60% of students tested that ate rapidly also overate. The fast eaters were also three times more likely to be overweight. The reason being, when people consume calories fast, they still tend to be hungry even after eating a meal with sufficient calories. So either students are left hungry, or they end up overeating.
Lunch can turn into a stressful time with only 30 minutes. Trying to get into line fast, eat food, and socialize all in 30 minutes is undoubtedly more stressful than lunch is meant to be. Lunch should be a relaxing time to get students’ minds off of school so they can be recharged for the rest of the day.
A reasonable solution to a short lunch period is to extend the school by 15 minutes, and add that time to lunch. That way the longer lunch doesn’t affect class time, or force students to wake up earlier. A 45 minute lunch period would greatly increase the efficiency, well-being, and mental health of the students who attend West Ottawa High School.
FAQs
The reason being, when people consume calories fast, they still tend to be hungry even after eating a meal with sufficient calories. So either students are left hungry, or they end up overeating. Lunch can turn into a stressful time with only 30 minutes.
Is a 30 minute lunch break too short? ›
For more than five consecutive work hours, your employer must give you a 30-minute, uninterrupted meal break. For more than 10 consecutive work hours, your employer must give you two 30-minute meal breaks. For more than 15 to 20 consecutive work hours, your employer must give you three 30-minute meal breaks.
Should lunch be longer than 30 minutes? ›
Why longer lunch periods are important. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that students have at least 20 minutes of sitting and eating—or “seat time” in school nutrition parlance.
How long should it take to finish lunch? ›
Give yourself enough meal time
“People should take more than 20 minutes to eat a meal — ideally about 30 minutes — so that you can have an opportunity for your brain to catch up with your stomach,” Dr.
Why are 20-minute lunch periods not good for students? ›
Shortened Lunch Periods Promote Poor Food Choices
When the lunch period was over, they would throw more nutritional items, such as fruits and vegetables, into the garbage–completely untouched. Students are too often consuming fast foods and drinks as quickly as possible as time dwindles during their lunch period.
How long is the average American lunch break? ›
People generally take between 30 and 45 minutes for their lunch break. Some workplaces have cafeterias or lobbies where people can eat lunch at work. If you want to get to know fellow co-workers you can take advantage of these places in your office. The more social employees find themselves in these areas.
Are 1 hour lunch breaks normal? ›
The California Labor Code provides that employees who work more than five (5) hours in a day are entitled to a thirty (30) minute meal break.
How long are school lunches in France? ›
At school, the lunch break lasts between 90 minutes and 2 hours, during which a four-course meal is eaten while seated. French etiquette recommends that everyone starts eating at the same time and leaves the table only once everybody is finished.
Why do school lunches need to be longer? ›
Physical health
According to nutrition experts, 15 minutes or less is not enough time for children to properly eat and digest their food. When people have less time to eat or when they eat meals faster, calorie consumption increases.
What are the benefits of a longer lunch period? ›
Studies have shown that providing more time for lunch is associated with the following:
- Increased consumption of food and key nutrients. ...
- Increased selection of a fruit. ...
- Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables,8,9 lunch entrée,8 and milk. ...
- Decreased plate waste.
People who eat slow are more likely to better regulate their portions, feel more comfortable after a meal and recognize the feeling of fullness sooner. This correlates with the fact that it takes about 15-20 minutes for our stomach to signal fullness to our brain, even when it's already reached full capacity.
Why do I eat so quickly? ›
Eating fast could mean: You have waited too long to eat. You're feeling insecure in your relationship with food. You're using food to cope with difficult emotions.
What is the healthiest eating schedule? ›
The goal is to eat every 3 to 4 hours in order to keep your blood sugar consistent and for your stomach to optimally digest. Setting this schedule consistently across days can also help curb overeating which can lead to bloating or indigestion.
Is 30 minutes enough time to eat lunch? ›
While there is no current federal or state requirement for the amount of time allotted for breakfast and lunch meal periods, the Center for Disease Control recommends ensuring that students have at least 20 minutes for lunch once they are seated.
How long is lunch in American schools? ›
Typically they have 3–4 lunch times for different grades or sections of the school to go at different times. Normally starting at 1030 or 1045am and usually 25-45 minutes long but that also includes the time to get back to class.
Is 20 minutes enough time to eat lunch? ›
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that students get at least 20 minutes for lunch. But that means 20 minutes to actually sit down and eat — excluding time waiting in line or walking from class to cafeteria. Does your school provide adequate time to eat?
Is a 30-minute break good? ›
That's why it's important to adopt a 'break every 30 minutes' strategy in your workday. It may seem counterintuitive, but taking regular breaks can actually increase your productivity and improve your overall well-being.
How long should short breaks be? ›
Research shows that taking purposeful breaks (anywhere from 5–60 minutes) from studying to refresh your brain and body increases your energy, productivity, and ability to focus.
How many minutes is a short break? ›
However, when employers do offer short breaks (usually lasting about 5 to 20 minutes), federal law considers the breaks as compensable work hours that would be included in the sum of hours worked during the workweek and considered in determining if overtime was worked.
Is a 20 minute break too long? ›
It depends on the kind of work you are doing. Take short breaks often, rather than longer ones less often. For example 5 to 10 minutes every hour is better than 20 minutes every 2 hours.
