When we send our children to school, we expect them to learn, grow and thrive. Yet, the quality of their school lunches often undermines these goals. Despite their importance, school meals — and the food sent home with students on weekends — frequently fail to provide the nutrition young minds and bodies need.

Nutrition is a critical concern. While the USDA sets minimum standards, many meals lack sufficient protein and rely too heavily on carbohydrates. This can leave children without the sustained energy needed to focus and succeed in school. Breakfast options, such as sugary cereals or prepackaged waffles, are quick and inexpensive, but fail to provide adequate fuel, leading to hunger and fatigue before lunch.

In some cases, schools attempt to cut costs by combining proteins with dairy products like yogurt, but these often contain added sugars, undermining their nutritional value. Additionally, there is an overreliance on corn and wheat in school meals, due to their low cost and versatility. While corn often passes as a vegetable, it is high in sugar and lacks the variety and balance necessary for optimal nutrition. Meals sent home for the weekend are even more troubling. While intended to support food-insecure families, they often consist of heavily processed, easy-to-prepare items like instant noodles or canned pasta, which lack the balanced nutrition growing children require.

Even when fruits are included in school meals, their quality is often questionable. Federal guidelines allow sugar-enriched items like canned peaches or apple sauce to count as fruit servings. These highly processed options provide little nutritional value and often contribute to unhealthy sugar intake.

The system perpetuates inequality in the quality of meals provided. This is particularly evident in underfunded districts, where budget constraints limit the variety and nutritional value of food available to students.

Cultural and dietary inclusivity is another overlooked issue. In a diverse nation, school menus rarely reflect the needs of all students, leaving some with limited or unappealing options. Meanwhile, federal guidelines, mandating fruits and vegetables on trays, often result in food waste, as unappetizing or poorly prepared items tend to be discarded.

These challenges are not the fault of cafeteria workers, who do their best with limited resources, nor of students rejecting meals that don’t meet their needs. The root of the problem lies in a system that prioritizes cost-cutting over quality and health.

To address these issues, we need greater investment in school meal programs. Increased funding could allow schools to source fresh, local ingredients, provide adequate protein and reduce reliance on processed foods. Training cafeteria staff to prepare healthier, more appealing meals would also help. Nutrition education should be expanded to teach students the value of healthy eating, while encouraging them to participate in menu planning.

The USDA and policymakers must raise nutritional standards for school meals and weekend programs, with stricter limits on processed foods and added sugars. They should diversify the ingredients used to reduce reliance on corn and wheat, and require that each meal include at least one healthy protein. Every child deserves access to balanced, nourishing meals — not just to survive, but to thrive academically and physically.

Healthy, accessible and inclusive school meals are an investment in our children’s future.

Donna Joy, of Shepherdstown, is in her second term on the Jefferson County Board of Education. Her comments are personal, and do not represent the Jefferson County Board of Education as a whole. She can be reached at aumpeace@msn.com.