To the Editor:

At beginning of the school year, a new change was announced for buying lunch at Mt. Ararat Middle School. Last year, the value meal was up to five items, which could be a salad, a piece of fruit, a main dish, a side and a milk.

Now, one of the “musts” is that we must pick a cup of fruits/vegetables.

My school’s newsletter says, “…students have been making better, healthier choices… .” Yes, this is probably true for some of my peers, but for others it is just to get past the checkout.

I have seen some classmates throw out the required fruit and vegetables before they even sit down. Others ignore the fact that it sits on their tray and they simply throw it out afterwards.

Some students go up afterward to spend more money on foods like ice cream, chips, or even another main dish.

I personally believe if adults are trying to teach us the healthiest ways of eating, my school shouldn’t serve this extra junk food.

Overall, the idea of one cup of fruits/vegetables was a good one, but I think adults might have to come up with something else, too.

Alexandria Thompson
Topsham