It's
11:21 and stomachs are rumbling; time for lunch! Lunchtime is a very important time of day. It's a nice break from classes, a good time
for procrastinators to finish homework, and a chance to talk to friends. Its most important role of course is food.
Food
is quite a big deal for Marian girls; therefore healthy food and nutritious
lunch is also a big deal. Purchasing a
healthy lunch from the vending machines is a rather difficult task. A dollar can buy a bag of chips and a single
candy-bar, which tastes good but is basically fat and sugar.
Hot
lunches are not much better. They offer
salads everyday but those aren't really healthy either. "People think they're good eating an
iceberg lettuce salad, well iceberg lettuce is nutrionally zero. Romaine Lettuce, spinach salads, broccoli
and cauliflower, that's what people need to be eating," said Ed Dudley,
Marian's soccer coach and fitness trainer.
Dudley
recommends girls pack, "Yogurt's good for you, hard boiled eggs are very
good for you, veggies, and a little bit of fruit; I think people should be
eating very light at lunch. Believe me
you'll be much sharper in your head if you keep it to protein and veggies, because
you don't want to get an insulin response, if you drink pop or sugar your
insulin goes up and you crash."
Junior
Nicole Bennett also cares about eating healthy. She generally packs her lunch at home and make sure to include at
least one fruit. "I like to bring
oranges or apples and then pasta or peanut butter and jelly," says
Bennett.
Senior
Molly Doyle is another health conscious student. "I actually try and eat as healthy as I can so I prefer the
salads, and I try and bring healthy things from home. I love salad, apples, just basically fruits and vegetables, any
kind. I love making sandwiches on this
thick honey wheat bread with tomato, lettuce, and meat,"
Along
with fruits and veggies, granola bars and dry cereal are good choices. Microwave dinners are a nice option. Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, and Smart Ones
are all obviously nutritious and depending on the meal, they can taste pretty
good.
Trying to eat healthy in America today is no easy task. Junk food is cheaper, faster, and usually more readily available. Still, eating healthy is not impossible and can be very rewarding.