25 minutes. Half of a regular class period. Not even enough time to finish a test, to complete a lesson, or to have questions answered. So, why is it expected that it’s enough time to have lunch? 

This period of time isn’t really just for eating is it? Lunch is a period for students to decompress. To enjoy a break in their day from academics. To socialize with friends. Nourishment is an important aspect of this time, but so is the break in a busy day of academics. Lunch should provide enough time to come back to class feeling properly energized and ready to continue the day and work. However, a 25 minute lunch period in comparison to 50 minutes of class time cannot fulfill those needs. 

For a lot of students, just getting to the cafeteria can be extremely time consuming. When the lunch period is only 25 minutes, taking five minutes to get to the cafeteria means that a fifth of it is already gone. Then, for students buying lunch, long lines and a walk back to their tables take away even more of the time that they need to work effectively during class time. 

While extending the lunch period could lengthen the school day, it doesn’t have to. Sometimes, students don’t even have adequate time to finish their meals, which means sacrificing their nutrition and thus their focus and well-being throughout the rest of the day. Even ten more minutes of lunchtime could fulfill students’ nutritional and emotional needs by allowing them to socialize and decompress before the rest of the school day. That could be incorporated by shortening each class time by one minute. Doing this would make sure that students were still given adequate time to complete assignments and lessons during class, as well as giving them a longer break to eat and socialize with friends. 

School should never be solely about education. While education is the main goal, developing social and emotional skills is also very important. Students cannot learn those skills without time to interact with peers. Class time is when students should focus on their education. Lengthening the school lunch period would allow students to socialize for the amount of time they need to relax, so that they are able to focus when needed in class.

The nutritional and dietary aspects of lunch are also important. With homework and extracurricular activities outside of school, many students find it difficult to make time for packing their own lunches. So, they buy lunch from school, which should be a stress-reliever. Instead, the stress of the long line for the “main meal” in the cafeteria can take so long that students tend to opt for the shorter line and less nutritious lunch of pizza. 

The National Institute of Health says that, “Adequate intake of healthy, nutritious food is a key factor in the physical and mental health of children. Sufficient nutrition can improve the length and effectiveness of students’ learning time.” 

School lunch should never be about rushing through eating without time for conversation with friends. It’s an extremely important period for students to develop their social skills, gain sufficient nutrition, and to make the school day about more than just academic material. Limiting lunch into a hasty affair hurts students’ well-being. Lunch time should allow for a much-needed break in the middle of a busy school day.