SPEAK OUT: Healthy School Lunches

It’s not every day you hear an 11-year-old pass up pizza and ask for more salad.

But, The Gazette reports that’s exactly what Ciara Mulvihill did when she realized Oakland Terrace Elementary School, where she recently finished the fifth grade, did not offer many healthy food options. 

According to the Gazette, Ciara and several of her classmates began collecting “evidence,” like expired and undercooked foods, which they brought to the principal, Cheryl Pulliam. 

“We all noticed how we didn’t really like the school lunches and they weren’t really healthy,” Ciara told The Gazette.

Marla Caplon, the director of Montgomery County Public Schools’ Division of Food and Nutrition Services, told The Gazette that after hearing from Pulliam, she suggested the school install one of the 15 salad bars donated to MCPS by Whole Foods last year.

About 32 Montgomery County elementary schools do not currently have salad bars, The Gazette reported, though Caplon said she hopes schools that do have them will see an increase in the amount of fruits and vegetables students eat.

Should schools be doing more to provide healthy food options to children? Does your child’s school offer salad, fresh fruits and vegetables?

Take our poll and respond in the comments to let us know what healthy options your childrens' schools are (or aren't) offering.