Questioning the school lunch: working with secondary school students to provide healthful alternatives

Abstract

'Children spend a large portion of their time at school, where many lifestyle and behavioural choices develop' (National Audit Office [NAO], 2011, p. 6). Based on this scenario, the researcher investigated the lunches consumed by students in a state male and female secondary school. Non-participant observation sessions were organised in both schools, to allow the researcher to gain a better understanding of the school's tuck shop operation. The findings reveal that while tuck shops in secondary schools are working to provide healthy food options, this is by no means sufficient, and there is certainly the need to offer a wider variety of foods, improve upon the quality of the food items on offer, whilst ensuring that products are kept at a reasonable cost. Quantitative data was obtained by means of a survey (n=273) which was distributed among Form 1 to Form 4 students. The survey aimed to obtain a broad understanding of current lunch patterns. Findings from the survey indicate that bread is the most popular food item consumed for lunch. Focus group interviews were organised amongst students of the afore-mentioned Forms to create alternative healthy lunches based on the students' preferences. The interviewees showed a willingness to try out new healthy food lunches, and as a result a recipe booklet comprising ten lunch ideas was compiled. The booklet was distributed to the students who participated in the focus group interviews, and was also uploaded on the schools' website to be made accessible to the school population.