Should MMS 8th grade lunch be earlier? Lunch is usually around noon, but not for 8th graders. They eat lunch at 10:30, which is for some people breakfast. Based on interviews and a survey of MMS eighth graders and staff, a large majority think that their lunch is too early.

Out of 112 students who took the survey, 79.3% thought lunch was too early.

With 8th-grade lunch being so early, some students feel famished at the end of the day. In an interview with an eighth-grader, David Rebelo stated, “At the end of the day my stomach is rumbling, I feel like I need more food.”

In another interview eighth grader, Harrison Colagrass said, “At the end of the day I do cross country, so we have 15 minutes before the bus comes to pick us up ,so I eat a second lunch like a sandwich or pretzels.”

Students involved in athletics or extra-curriculars having to  bring a second lunch shows that an early lunch poses the problem of leaving too much time without food before dinner in the evening.

Even some teachers agreed that eighth-grade lunch is too early. Several reported that they usually work during their allotted lunch time and then find time to eat later in the day because they are not hungry at 10:30.  Another teacher said that they eat their breakfast during the 10:30 lunch and have their lunch when the school day ends at 3:00.

Most people who took the survey thought that lunch should be around 11:30. Many children thought that 11:30-12 pm was their usual time to eat lunch out of school. For instance, Elena Feola states, “I feel like 12 is reasonable. That just a typical time to have lunch.”

According to Yaletown Nutrition lunch at 12-1 pm is a perfect time for lunch because if you don’t eat breakfast you have increased cravings by the middle of the day. Lunch is crucial for growing minds in school. It is a chance for students to replenish their calories, nutrients, and vitamins; and hunger can be a distraction to learning.

In addition to students being displeased with the early timing of lunch, many also felt that Lunch should be longer. Lunch is a time for students to not only eat, but also relax and socialize. The students remark that they don’t have time to relax because they only have time to eat and then go on to continue learning.

An article on longer lunches in school thinks that students go into lunch lines and wait in them and when they come out they only have about 15 minutes to eat. Your.kingcounty.com states, “By the time some students get to their seats and open their food, their actual seated lunchtime often is down to 15 minutes or less.”

When I checked the survey responses, 66.4% of students answered that they think lunch is too short and they need more time to relax. In an interview with Mia Shantery, another eighth-grader affected by this lunchtime she felt like she only gets 15 minutes to eat because her friends will move tables or she has to go into the lunch line.

The least schools can legally set lunchtime to is 21 minutes. But  students should get more time. Lunch isn’t just a time for eating; it can be a time to do extra work, to relax or reset, or to have time to talk with friends who they may not see in their classes.

In the interview I conducted many said that lunch should be around 45 minutes because after eating, they need time to relax.

Luis Gerbasi remarks that 45 minutes is a good length for him.

David Rebelo also thinks that lunch should be around 20 minutes longer.

In conclusion, lunch for the 8th graders is way too early, serving more as breakfast for some. Giving them a longer and later lunch could help students be less tired throughout the day.