School lunches can surely be a drag from the rush in the morning to the same old, boring lunch food. But, there are so many easy, quick healthy alternatives to your average school lunch.

Many people do not have a well-rounded lunch because of time. It can be a hassle to make your own lunch before school.

An easy way to make your lunch is to buy a premade or prepackaged lunch from the grocery store. These lunches make it much simpler to pick healthier items for lunch. Salads, sandwiches and wraps are good options for a hearty lunch.

“I like to bring salads from Trader Joe’s to school for lunch,” said senior Tali Burton.

It is extremely important to be full and focused to tackle on the day, you should pack small snacks to eat throughout the whole school day. Some good snacks include almonds, blueberries and carrots to help you stay sharp and keep your hunger at bay.

“I always pack small bags of different snacks because you could get hungry at any time in the day,” said freshman Cassie Gitelson.

According to Real Simple, the average person should have a snack about 3 to 4 times a day to maintain your body’s optimal functioning. You need the nutrients, protein, vitamins and minerals that comes from food. These are necessary for humans to lead a productive life. By regulating your diet and eating throughout the day, you will be more efficient, energized and happier in school.   

“Hunger is one of the biggest distractions other than cell phones in school,” said history and psychology teacher Natalie Shelvin.

Hunger has immense effects on our brains. It has been scientifically proven that hunger delays development on the cognitive, emotional and social levels of the brain.

So, hunger can affect your ability to focus and learn, meaning, that children who experience hunger early on generally perform lower academically and have a lower IQ.

The hunger hormone can alter your decision making, especially in teenagers and children since the frontal lobes of the brain aren’t fully developed yet. There are some life-threatening long term effects of hunger that include, irreversible brain damage and severe eyesight issues.

Snacking and lunch are a very important to have throughout the day. They help you satisfy your hunger and enhance your academic performance, since you will have more energy to actively participate in all of your classes.