Is Junk Food The True Bad Food?

In many school systems across the United States, there are many different opinions on whether or not junk food should be banned. Some people favor the thought of junk food in school systems and feel as though kids should be able to eat what they want. Others believe that schools should provide students with healthier snacks and meals to eat. The true question is, how much is too much? There are certain school systems taking over meal plans and completely banning the food selection for kids to only health choices. Kids should be able to make choices for themselves and eat the food they want too eat. Having junk food in school systems has been known to bring up the percent of obesity in kids, but having junk food will give students freedom of choice, will help the vending contract revenue, and it will save money and complications in creating a new lunch program.

Schools that allow students to eat what they want give’s the students dining options and also freedom of choice. Many school systems in America are strict enough already; they do not need to be even stricter and be told what to eat and what not to eat. When students can pick out their own food, it gives the student the feeling of personal responsibility. Margaret Johnson, an English and French teacher at West Las Vegas High School in Las Vegas, New Mexico, explains, “ junk food should be sold in schools-along with other food. Students will buy anything that coast under a dollar, is profitable, flavorful, visually appealing, and gives a quick ick-me-up”(Johnson). And above all Margaret explains, “ students like freedom of choice.” Students are looking for healthy food, but they are also looking for the quick junk food and “pick-me-up” food every once in awhile “(Johnson). Students need to have a choice of both types of food to give them some variety and to make sure they are not forced to just buying one type of food.

Some student’s won’t eat meats, spices, and other ingredients, which pushes them more towards the junky foods. If students are not selling any junk food, then the kids who won’t eat anything else will not be eat. Sometimes students don’t have time to stand in line for the main meal, and need to sometimes just grab a quick snack before there next class, which can be beneficial when you are in a time crunch. Students want to have freedom of choice and to not be told by the school systems what they have to eat. Students need to figure out on their own whether or not junk food is bad for them and what foods they do or do not like.

Similarly, studies show that many people believe junk food is bad for us but it is not. Junk food is not bad for us; Margaret explains, “ Junk food provides energy, substitutes for missed meals, and supplements inadequate meals”(Johnson). Junk food is not bad for us it provides us with the quick food that we need sometimes ad can give us energy to get us through our day when we need it. Teens need some junk food in their lives. It is not bad for teens to have junk food once in awhile, and these munchies keep teens alert during classes and activities they do. Junk food is not only good for a quick snack but also good for recycling and for fundraisers.

If junk foods were completely banned at schools, then there would be no snacks, sodas, or candies, which would limit school systems from having one less easy way to make money for the school. Junk food has an economic side too, Margaret states how “ it can provide a steady income for school organizations at a better price and profit margin than the fund-raiser companies offer”(Johnson). With no chance of having junk food, schools are not able to have a variety of bake sales/ baking found-raiser for the school. At my school, we do many found-raiders for cancer, Haiti, prom, and so many more. If we could not have bake sales or found- raisers anymore because of junk food being banned at my school, then it