One day last week I subbed at the high school and was surprised at how many students stopped at the local Hardees or Sonic and brought food and drinks to school.
There were seven students in a class of 21 students who brought breakfast from a fast food establishment, which is 33% of the students in that class.
I understand why the students do this, but the high school offers FREE breakfast and lunch to ALL students.
Students have their choice of milk (fat free, 2%, or chocolate) and orange juice, and usually two food items, sometimes more, to choose from.
This day they were offered biscuit, sausage, gravy, mandarin oranges, orange juice, and choice of milk.
As I sat there, before school started, eating my breakfast from home of cottage cheese with blueberries, I wonder if some of the students realize the expense that eating out can add up to over the course of a month or year.
Some of them have not learned or had the financial lessons that other students have had at their young age.
One of the bad things about free breakfast is that some students throw away perfectly good food and drinks. They are not forced to get everything that is offered, but some of them do and then throw away perfectly fine containers of milk and orange juice.
The custodians tried to rescue these unopened milk and orange juice containers, but were told by administration to stop this practice.
I did rescue one chocolate milk and three orange juices on the day I subbed after stopping two students from throwing them away right in front of me. And, other students wanted those items I rescued, which made me happy.
I've watched in disbelief as some students get breakfast and throw it away untouched and unopened. Oftentimes these students will only go to breakfast to sit with their friends and socialize, not wanting any of the food.
And it's an unspoken rule at the high school that there is a bowl at the end of the food line where students can put their orange juice or milk if they don't want it, and any student who wants one can take one, but that is frowned upon at the elementary and middle schools. And even with this, students still throw away unopened milk and orange juice.
The middle school doesn't even allow students to take any food out of the cafeteria even if it is unopened. If they did it would eliminate some of this food waste.
It's food waste plain and simple and it makes me sad to see such waste. We try and work hard to avoid food waste in our home. I wish that were true at the school as well.
Students have their choice of milk (fat free, 2%, or chocolate) and orange juice, and usually two food items, sometimes more, to choose from.
This day they were offered biscuit, sausage, gravy, mandarin oranges, orange juice, and choice of milk.
Some of them have not learned or had the financial lessons that other students have had at their young age.
One of the bad things about free breakfast is that some students throw away perfectly good food and drinks. They are not forced to get everything that is offered, but some of them do and then throw away perfectly fine containers of milk and orange juice.
The custodians tried to rescue these unopened milk and orange juice containers, but were told by administration to stop this practice.
I did rescue one chocolate milk and three orange juices on the day I subbed after stopping two students from throwing them away right in front of me. And, other students wanted those items I rescued, which made me happy.
I've watched in disbelief as some students get breakfast and throw it away untouched and unopened. Oftentimes these students will only go to breakfast to sit with their friends and socialize, not wanting any of the food.
And it's an unspoken rule at the high school that there is a bowl at the end of the food line where students can put their orange juice or milk if they don't want it, and any student who wants one can take one, but that is frowned upon at the elementary and middle schools. And even with this, students still throw away unopened milk and orange juice.
The middle school doesn't even allow students to take any food out of the cafeteria even if it is unopened. If they did it would eliminate some of this food waste.
It's food waste plain and simple and it makes me sad to see such waste. We try and work hard to avoid food waste in our home. I wish that were true at the school as well.
