Pro/Con: Should Students Have to Pay for School Lunches?

The debate over school lunch costs

Julia Brutto and Payton Spargo

November 5, 2025

PRO:

School lunches are something that should be free for everyone. School is somewhere where students are legally required to be. So they shouldn’t have to pay to eat. Most of the time students do not even eat the fruits and vegetables, so they are only eating half of the meal they are paying for. Everyday students are forced to waste money just to get food which is a basic need everyone deserves. Some would say if you can not afford it get into a program, but why are we putting children who do not understand the concept of money or bankruptcy into debt so early in life? Another point is that students could just pack a lunch. However, some students do not have the time or resources to pack lunch. Students already have to get up early as it is, but if they pack a lunch they would have to get up even earlier and cut their sleep down. It is also a lot of work to constantly have food at home to pack.

CON:

School lunches being free would be nice for the students who buy it everyday, but funds for the school must be made somehow. Money makes the world go around, and without the funds the school receives from students buying lunches, they would not have money to get more food. Additionally, there are numerous options for students who have no money on their account or whose families are low on funds. The school does not forbid students from buying lunch if they do not have enough money on their account. Secondly, there is a program titled “The National School Lunch Program” for students in families that do not make enough money to pay for these meals. Any student can apply and will be eligible if their family’s income is below a certain amount. All in all, while free lunches to all would be ideal, the school can only afford to help so many.

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About the Contributors

Julia Brutto, Lead Writer and Assistant Print Designer

Julia Brutto is a sophomore at Crown Point High School. This is her first year on the Inklings staff. She is a Lead Writer and Assistant Print Designer for the 2025-2026 school year. She joined to continue to develop her writing skills and to get the chance to write about things she’s passionate about. Outside of Inklings, she is busy playing lacrosse, attending youth group, and working on her schoolwork.

Payton Spargo, Lead Writer

Payton Spargo is a junior at Crown Point High School. This year will be her first year on the Inklings Staff. Spargo is a Lead writer for the 2025-2026 school year. She joined the newspaper crew primarily because of her love of writing and enjoying being able to write freely as classwork. When Spargo is not writing for the newspaper, she is most likely in the gym, playing her guitar, or watching some random horror series she found on Netflix.