As a teacher in elementary, it sucks when my class has the latest lunch. I’d be starving myself.

As someone who grew up outside the US, I find this very amusing but not in a good way. In fact, we noticed the same thing with our child.

Here's how it works elsewhere: first of, even in middle and high schools, there are breaks between classes: at least 10min, one break (where milk could be bought and brought-from-home snacks be eaten) of 15min, and one outdoor recess of 20min. Until 12th grade. Second, lunch facilities were built such that everyone could have lunch at the same time (none of this taking turns in 6 shifts and seeing only half of each grade). No weird 52 minute periods when your period overlapped with some other grade's lunch time because the cafeteria seats only 150 kids (in a school built in the 2010s!).

When I compare this to today's insane schedule of 4min class changes and a single 20min lunch break I'm wondering why we're putting up with this. Kids that aren't packers (but have to buy their lunch) often spend half of that time in the lunch line. The remaining recess time was stolen as well and crammed in "study hall" or "intervention/enrichment" time (which I understand is usually just a waste of 25min where kids need to read a book or be otherwise quiet). The other day our child didn't make it to their next class between periods because they had to run from the gym on one end of the building to the other and back to a different wing to get their materials for the next class. To avoid being marked tardy, they are now working out a special exception where the school materials are dropped off in the classroom a period earlier (even though it's against the rules).

This all seems utterly insane and actually reminiscent of prison - I can't think of any other place with a similarly regulated schedule that is purposely designed to cut out any downtime. Note also that there's almost no time for socializing because each of these time periods is with a randomly assigned group of kids, particularly in middle school before AP classes and with few electives. The predictable result is that many kids talk during class, sometimes over the teacher, something that was taboo (and occurred infrequently) where I went to school. It prevents kids who want to use class time for their work from doing so and generally kills concentration.
Grabbing granola bars between classes needs to be done furtively because eating in the hallways is not allowed, and in any event, you'd get run over if you don't pay attention. Yes there are teachers who recognize this and allow snacks like in 8th period for early lunchers or before lunch for late lunchers like in this post.

Do Americans even remember a time with quiet class periods where you could concentrate, 10min class changes, a breakfast snack, consistent 45 minute periods, and a long recess where you could talk to your classmates and didn't feel the need to talk in class? Most people I talked to who went to school in the 90s or later think that this was always this way. I don't believe that's true, though, or is it?

Why is there no revolution? Why is everyone putting up with this?

We were always selling m&m’s and peanut m&m’s snd eating them in classes and study hall. Yes, I recall growling stomachs before lunch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont remember ever needing a snack, or honestly even a drink of water between meals as a high-schooler in the 90s. Is this something I've repressed or forgotten? Not being snarky, because as a parent i now have this same question "how will they survive without a snack!?" But is this a new thing, or do other parents remember being hungry growing up?

I clearly remember one year when I had a late lunch, and I nearly failed the class before it. I was so hungry that my stomach would growl - loudly - and it was actually embarrassing, and I couldn't think of anything but food. We didn't have enough time between classes to eat anything, and I don't think it was allowed anyway. Other years I don't remember being hungry, but I know that year it was a real problem.

I also remember being hungry in middle school. In high school we had a 20 minute break around 10:30 where I would eat a snack. Class started at 7:30.

Anonymous wrote:I dont remember ever needing a snack, or honestly even a drink of water between meals as a high-schooler in the 90s. Is this something I've repressed or forgotten? Not being snarky, because as a parent i now have this same question "how will they survive without a snack!?" But is this a new thing, or do other parents remember being hungry growing up?

We had “nutrition break” in high school. It was a double passing period (so 10 min vs 5) where we had time to go to our lockers and get snacks between 3rd and 4th period. Lunch was after 4th.

Anonymous wrote:I dont remember ever needing a snack, or honestly even a drink of water between meals as a high-schooler in the 90s. Is this something I've repressed or forgotten? Not being snarky, because as a parent i now have this same question "how will they survive without a snack!?" But is this a new thing, or do other parents remember being hungry growing up?

I clearly remember one year when I had a late lunch, and I nearly failed the class before it. I was so hungry that my stomach would growl - loudly - and it was actually embarrassing, and I couldn't think of anything but food. We didn't have enough time between classes to eat anything, and I don't think it was allowed anyway. Other years I don't remember being hungry, but I know that year it was a real problem.

Anonymous wrote:I dont remember ever needing a snack, or honestly even a drink of water between meals as a high-schooler in the 90s. Is this something I've repressed or forgotten? Not being snarky, because as a parent i now have this same question "how will they survive without a snack!?" But is this a new thing, or do other parents remember being hungry growing up?

We had vending machines and a school store that sold junk food.

We never had snacks in high school, but ds used to take granola or protein bars for between classes.

I dont remember ever needing a snack, or honestly even a drink of water between meals as a high-schooler in the 90s. Is this something I've repressed or forgotten? Not being snarky, because as a parent i now have this same question "how will they survive without a snack!?" But is this a new thing, or do other parents remember being hungry growing up?

Yup, snacks during passing period or lenient teachers’ classes.

Thanks did posting this since my kid gets on the bus at 655 and this did not dawn on me.

There are always high school students who take out their lunch and eat before or at the end of class, or during if the teacher allows. Even better, plan ahead and pack snacks so the lunch isn’t gone by 10. -teacher

Is it on the day that they have their "study hall"/Advisory period? My kid's advisory "teacher" always allowed them to eat during advisory time. That got him through.

Otherwise, I think you just have to eat a granola bar on the run between classes.

Protein bar for the locker at noon?

I wouldn't worry about the food. With that bus schedule, he won't be learning because he'll be asleep in class.

I just saw that my high school kid doesn't have lunch until 12:45. He's on the bus at 7:15, so that means close to 6 hours without eating. Do kids eat snacks at all? Is there time for that? I just don't see how he will learn anything if he's starving (and he's pretty much always starving to begin with).