By Jenna Brannaman

The clock strikes and the students make a run for it. Lunch may be the only period throughout the school day that kids run to. Lunch is said to be the highlight of a high school student’s day. It’s a time for catching up with their friends, cramming for an upcoming test, and refreshing their Twitter feed. Somehow students still find time to consume their school lunch. But if you were to step foot into the MVHS lunch room you might find a few students with lunch boxes instead of plastic hot lunch trays.

According to a survey given to 50 MVHS students on Sept. 30, 9 percent bring cold lunch on a regular basis and others bring it solely on game or race days. Nutrition is a key aspect of an athlete’s life especially on the day of a game or race. What an athlete consumes that day can truly impact their performance positively or negatively. Jack Young, a sophomore and dedicated cross country runner said,  “It’s a lot better to bring cold lunch on race days. School lunches don’t usually sit well during a cross country meet.”

Fellow classmates often wonder why people bring cold lunch when it can be served to them. The reasons for bringing cold lunch include not liking the school lunch, saving money, having certain food allergies, and not having to wait in the dreaded lunch line. Each person has a unique reason. Junior Kate Elsbury likes that she can control what she’s eating, “I obviously make sure to pack food that I like.” She has been taking cold lunch regularly since the beginning of her sophomore year despite the few times when she forgot her lunch box on the counter at home.

A big question that arises is how do these people find the time to pack their lunches, but the answer is quite simple. Think of how much time you spend on your phone, tablet, or computer everyday. It takes the average teenager well over five minutes to check their Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or text messages. Out of the 25 people who answered that they take cold lunch, 16 said that it takes them less than
five minutes to pack their lunch. Preparing and packing a meal in five minutes or less is quite impressive but for some the secret is repetition of the menu. Packing the same lunch over and over can become a pretty speedy process once you know where to find the food that you want.

“Every day I have a peanut butter and honey sandwich, a Capri Sun, and swiss rolls,” said junior Raina David. She does get tired of eating the same thing but she knows it’s worth it when she’s happy after eating her lunch. On the other hand some students have to bring something completely different every day. From leftovers in the fridge to homemade gyros, the options are endless. Looking at school lunches, students are only given two main courses to choose from whereas those who bring cold lunch have a whole kitchen full of options.

Freshmen Beckett Christensen and Austin Webster tell uniquestories pertaining to their cold lunches. Beckett is one of only a few students who packs his lunch at night, so that he doesn’t have to get up any earlier than necessary. His favorite lunch consists of vegetarian gyros, yogurt, chips, and an apple.

Austin, who has been taking cold lunch since eighth grade, gets the rare advantage of not having to pack his own lunch since his mom willingly does it for him. But there are obvious drawbacks to having someone else pack your lunch, “I never get enough food so I am still hungry the rest of the day,” he said. Being hungry during the school day can negatively affect your concentration and ability to do your absolute best.

For some students hunger sets in a few class periods prior to their lunch. When lunch time rolls in students make a run for the lunch line and try their hardest to get to the front of their line. A hugeconvenience for those who bring cold lunch is not having to wait in line and being able to eat sooner which means more time to eat, socialize, and check their phones, which in teenager’s eyes is always good.

Cold lunches come with many benefits and even a few drawbacks. They also can positively influence someone’s long day at work or school. Packing a favorite food or having extra time to eat can put a smile on someone’s face and we all could use something to brighten up our day.