by Lilika Jenkins ‘22

For the 2021-2022 school year, MCPS made school lunches free for all students due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting families and students throughout the county. In Sherwood, many people go to the cafeteria to eat breakfast and lunch every single day. However, there has been a noticeable lack of the variety of meals students can choose from compared to previous years, with the same 3-4 options for pickup every single day. Students may pick from a sad, dry piece of pizza, soggy chicken sandwiches, or a hamburger with somewhat questionable origins, all with a side of milk and plastic covered apples that are definitely not fresh.

For students (that need energy and filling meals to perform the best that they can in their classes), a balanced lunch is crucial to success. Many countries, such as Japan, Spain, Korea, Norway, etc. provide balanced lunches with vegetables, meat, and grains that children and adolescents need for development and energy. The United States has more than enough money to fund schools and counties to provide students with balanced meals, especially since children are the country’s future. Empty calories and bland food is not acceptable for students not only in Sherwood, but throughout the nation as well.