Rep. Schrier Re-introduces Bill to Help Students Get Enough Time to Eat Lunch

WASHINGTON, DC – This week Congresswomen Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) re-introduced the Healthy Meal Time Act. The Healthy Meal Time Act would provide schools with best practices for scheduling lunch and recess to ensure that students have enough time to eat a balanced, nutritious meal and reduce food waste.

“As a pediatrician and mom, I know how important it is for children to eat healthy foods and get lots of physical exercise at recess,” said Rep. Schrier. “But most schools schedule lunch before recess, and students will rush or even skip lunch to go play. Putting recess first makes time for both, and evidence shows kids eat more food and healthier options if they’ve had a chance to run around outside before lunch. These meals have become even more vital for many children who face food insecurity at home related to the pandemic. Putting play first, lunch second will ensure kids get enough exercise and good nutrition … both vital to their development.”

“Too often, students don’t have enough time to eat their meals at school,” said Rep. Bonamici. “Providing adequate time to eat makes a meaningful difference as they learn and grow. The Healthy Meal Time Act will provide schools with the information they need to pick the best time for lunch, which will encourage students to eat more of the nutritious food they need while also decreasing food waste.”

The Healthy Meal Time Act directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with input from the U.S. Department of Education, to create a study that will share successful efforts and current best practices with schools. It is unclear how many schools provide students adequate time for their meals, and no federal guidelines on this matter exist. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that students have a minimum of 20 minutes to eat lunch each day. Likewise, a study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that lunch periods of at least 25 minutes were found to improve students’ nutritional intake and limit food waste. A study in the Journal of Child Nutrition and Management found that having recess before lunch results in students consuming more food, eating healthier food, and wasting less.

“Thanks to the work of community groups, educators, parents and legislators, students increasingly have access to more fresh foods and nutrition-rich meals at school, but far too many of them do not have the time during the school day to even eat their lunches. Our food service workers, paraprofessionals and teachers tell stories of some students starting lunch at 10:30am, while others don’t get lunch break until almost 2pm. By the time students get into the cafeteria and go through the cafeteria line, most only have about 15 minutes to eat, forcing them to rush through meals simply because of poor school scheduling. Representative Schrier’s Healthy Meal Time Act will allow districts to gather additional information about the time lunches are served and the duration of lunch periods at schools, as well as when recess is combined with lunch time, making it easier for adults to partner on solutions so lunch breaks don’t fall by the wayside. We fought and continue to fight to provide our children with healthier meals at school; this bill will make sure they can actually have time in the school day to eat them,” added American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

Tom Stenzel, Co-CEO, International Fresh Produce Association said, “The increased servings of delicious, crunchy, fresh fruits and vegetables are one of the crowning achievements of the Healthy-Hunger Free Kids Act. While meals in schools look different right now due to Covid-19, we must not lose sight of our goal of addressing the implications of short and rushed lunch periods on consumption as schools transition back to traditional serving environments. We are grateful for the leadership of Dr. Schrier and Chairwoman Bonamici in introducing this legislation, which will set the framework to provide technical assistance for schools to address the challenge of adequate time to eat.”

"Research shows children receive their healthiest meals at school. Now we need to ensure students have enough time to eat school meals, especially those nutrient-dense fresh fruits and vegetables, which take longer for kids to consume," said School Nutrition Association President Beth Wallace, MBA, SNS. "The Healthy Meal Time Act will connect schools with strategies to ensure students have enough time to eat once they get to their seats, effectively fueling students for success while combatting food waste."

“For far too long, the role of providing sufficient time to eat in addressing food waste has been overlooked. Critics of healthy school meals have claimed that nutrition standards should be weakened in order to reduce food waste in the cafeteria, despite the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research showing that waste has not increased with implementation of the standards, and providing sufficient time to eat can help reduce waste. Sufficient time to eat can also support children’s consumption of healthy meals, improve participation, and reduce stigma in the school lunch program. We commend Representatives Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), chair of the Education and Labor Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services, for prioritizing sufficient time and length of lunch for students,” said Peter Lurie, MD, Executive Director and President of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

The Healthy Meal Time Act has been endorsed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Heart Association, American Federation of Teachers, Bread for the World, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), National Education Association, National PTA, Save the Children, School Nutrition Association, and United Fresh Produce Association.