Face Off: Should students have a say in what food their school cafeteria serves?

Schools are hubs for learning, friendships and development, but they also involve one more indispensable element of life: food.

Well, lunch, mostly.

While some students belong to the “lunch from home” club, many are regular cafeteria patrons. As direct consumers, they are more involved in the school food system than almost anyone else.

Schools would benefit from their feedback when designing nutrition programmes. A school that allows its students to take an active role in meal planning will teach them essential skills that are universally applicable.

For example, students can use knowledge from lessons about vitamins and food groups to help design a menu for their school’s cafeteria. They would be learning to apply classroom instruction in real life as well as how to participate in society and advocate for themselves.

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Implementing food feedback systems also allows educators to gauge their pupils’ understanding and perceptions of nutrition. Do students think that “healthy” means “less tasty”? Are they really as attached to oily, fatty foods as adults seem to believe? What do students actually want to eat?

If schools do not ask these questions, they will never know their students’ perspectives.

Giving students “a say” does not have to entail input on only whether food should be boiled, steamed, fried or sauced. Initiatives can be as simple as collecting information on dietary requirements like allergies and other restrictions.

With newer diagnoses emerging regarding eating disorders like ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) – which differs from anorexia and bulimia because it has no relation to body image – schools must adapt to avoid risking their student’s well-being.

There are also other modern health crises to take into consideration. According to the Hong Kong Department of Health’s 2020-2022 Population Health Survey, 32.6 per cent of Hongkongers aged between 15 and 84 are obese while 22 per cent are overweight. As obesity rates continue to rise worldwide, foundational knowledge about healthy habits will become more crucial.

Allowing students to have a say will help our educators make informed decisions about their pupils’ growth and development.

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Every Monday to Friday, the school cafeteria becomes packed with students, gathering and waiting in line as they decide between Set A, Set B and Set C.

With the choice being vegetables or more vegetables on a near-daily basis, students can become discontent with what is served to them during lunchtime.

If given a say, students will unmistakably ask for a greater variety of meals. However, when they can choose from a wide range of options, some of their lunches may not provide them with the best nutrients.

Many dishes that are popular with students – including fried chicken, burgers and pizza – are noticeably high in saturated fats. Consuming an excessive amount of saturated fats can be detrimental to health and set these young pupils up for increased risks of heart disease and stroke.

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When you consider the various health risks posed by rash decisions – especially made by younger people – it is, therefore, in students’ best interest that they do not contribute to the cafeteria menus in the first place.

While the meal options enforced by the schools can be mundane, they are necessary to keep students healthy.

Schools play a pivotal, active role in supporting balanced diets for students, especially meals served in cafeterias. Some schools consult nutritionists to develop meal options. And many government health departments have nutrition guidelines that schools can follow.

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Schools’ efforts ensure that students follow a healthy diet and get the nutrients needed. This proves why schools should retain authority over what is offered at the cafeteria.

In addition, the general public does not give much thought to whether they can finish their meals. According to the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department, 68 per cent of food waste in the city comes from households. If school cafeterias allow students to decide what food is served, students may create unsuitable portions and similarly waste food.

School cafeterias have a responsibility to prioritise students’ health. This cannot be achieved if students have definite decision-making power over the menu’s meal options.