Everyday, all around the school, students who need gluten free food need to bring their lunch and therefore carry yet another bag, not to mention that they might feel excluded from a group of people who are enjoying BMS cafeteria bought lunches.

This is why some are concerned that every entree in the BMS Cafeteria that is available to order without signing up online before lunch contains gluten. There are gluten free options, but you must sign up for them every day, and cannot change what you get. The sign up website name was also not publicly given to us. Whenever someone with a gluten allergy, for example, forgets his or her lunch and has not signed up, he or she will not be able to eat the lunch in the cafeteria, or they will only be able to eat small parts that don’t contain gluten.

6th grade student, Alexandra Lalli, said, “I don’t exactly love the fact that the caf doesn’t have any gluten free entrees available readily. I’m allergic to gluten, and I don’t think it’s fair that we can’t order our lunch from the cafeteria, when other people can.” She expressed that many times, she had forgotten her lunch box at school, and it was just too much of a hassle sometimes. As a sixth grader, she didn’t want more stress added on to tests to remember to pack and bring lunch. She thought that even one option added to the cafeteria menu, maybe a gluten free pizza or sandwich, would help.

“I think that we should definitely have a gluten free option available in the caf. I know a lot of people who try to be gluten free, and some people who just need to. It’s not fair that they have to carry more just because of an allergy or preference. One of the plusses of middle school was not having to sign up for lunch before it happened. That should not be taken away.” Amy Ginzberg, 7th Grade, told me.

She was thinking that gluten free would not only be a great way for gluten-free kids to be less stressed, but also help kids be more healthy.

Gluten is the protein in wheat, and according to Paleo Leap, a health website, gluten is unhealthy for people because of its problem proteins, the carbohydrates in it that cause blood sugar problems, the gut inflammation possibilities, and the intestinal problems it may cause.

According to Nikhil Kanthan, gluten free in the cafeteria would only be “worth it if the change didn’t affect people who can eat gluten”. He does not believe that food tastes as good without gluten, and thinks that the change should not affect people who like with-gluten options, and do not want them to be taken away.

It might take more work to make something taste good without gluten, but it also takes work to avoid gluten. Amy thinks that we should give it a shot, and if kids don’t like it, they will always be able to go back to the original.

6th grade Red Pod Social Studies teacher, Mr. Royster, says, “I think it’s too bad that we don’t have a gluten free entree option in the cafeteria. Two of my four kids are actually gluten free, and I know how hard it is.”

I surveyed my homeroom, and over 75% of them agreed that there should be a daily gluten free option in the cafeteria. Over 60% of them said that they would pay slightly more for their lunch so that gluten free options could be provided. If this many people agree with gluten free, shouldn’t we give it a try?