While receiving food at school, one sees the little packet of joy known as ketchup. Sadly there is now a limit to the joy, causing confusion, since last year this wasn’t a problem. The new change has gotten both students and faculty alike talking.
“I feel that it’s unnecessary for teen students to be limited [on condiment choice],” attendance clerk Gwyn Highberg said.
The reasoning for the condiment limit by NEISD is centered round keep sodium levels to a minimum.
“[Our] main driving force is that sodium and fat target levels are met following federal guidelines of the 2014-2015 healthy hunger kids free act,” nutrition manager Leah Whetstone said.
For each meal purchased at lunch, three ketchup packet are available if asked for.
“Even if you get something healthy, [too] much condiments on it [make it] not healthy anymore,” freshman Elena Prieto said.
The average sodium intake a person should have for a meal is 180-500mg, and each ketchup packet at school is 25mg.
“I think its reasonable [to cut back on sodium]. I just think it should be discussed further,” Highberg said. “Students shouldn’t be restricted.”
Even though students have to watch how many packets they pick up, the faculty can have an unlimited amount.
“Teachers shouldn’t have the right to unlimited condiments [when] they get the exact [same] food that [we do],” senior Lawrence Acosta said.
In the past years when we were allowed an unlimited amount of condiments, it left the cafeteria staff to clean up a huge amount of unused ketchup wrappers. The new rule helps keep the cafeteria cleaner.
“People shouldn’t take more [condiments] than they need,” Prieto said.
Some might not agree to the new rule, but in the end it is designed with the student in mind.
“If I can vote I should be allowed to have more then two packets of ketchup if I want it,”Acosta said.
