Northern offers free meals to all students

Feature
By Sophia Ahmed
Husky Herald Reporter

At the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year, Port Huron Northern began to offer its students free breakfast and lunch as a part of a district wide income-based program.  From pancakes to salad, food was free not only for those who qualified for the free and reduced program, but for all students.

 “Before this program came into place, I never really thought about eating breakfast at school, but now it’s become part of my routine,” said Maddie Luke (‘17).  The breakfast choices that the school offers are both healthy and tasty, according to First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.

 Mrs. Obama played a large role in getting the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act to pass through Congress, and now Port Huron Northern gets to see its effects.

  Breakfast foods consist of a wide array of options including sandwiches, warm food, pop tarts (low fat, of course), and much more. Students are also required to take some sort of fruit, this can be in the form of juice or just a piece of fruit.

 Students must take something from each of the food group requirements in order to qualify for the free food, and these food groups are based of of Michelle Obama’s food plate, which notoriously replaced the food pyramid in 2011.  Like many around the country, the students of Northern were not pleased with this change.

  “I was born and  raised learning about the pyramid, not some plate. I was so disturbed by this change-- bring back the pyramid,” said Abhishek Tekemulla (‘17).

  Besides this change in food proportions, students are enjoying the luxuries of free food not only for breakfast but also for lunch. The lunch selection is even more diverse than that of breakfast’s and includes some unique selections that change every day.

  “The broth bowl was a cool addition to the lunch selection,” said Marissa Hartman (‘17).  These bowls include the options of either vegetable or chicken broth, a wide choice of vegetables, and chicken.

  No matter their position on Michelle Obama’s new food plate, the students of Port Huron Northern seem to be enjoying the free breakfasts and lunches that the school has begun to offer.