(November 5, 2009) — When the lunch bell rings, junior Andrew Hain rushes out of his class and races to the cafeteria for lunch. Hain is one of the many in the teeming crowd of students who tries to get to lunch as quickly as possible to avoid the long lines. In a matter of minutes the lines can become lengthy, which is a good sign, because it shows that students know eating is an important part of being a healthy individual, according to many nutritionists. “It is important to eat every few hours or so because you need the energy to get through the day,” says Hain. Eating three meals a day can be tough for some students due to school work and other activities, but studies have shown that it is better to eat more meals in smaller portions. Eating every three hours or so is the best way to keep a healthy weight and body. For junior Jamie Garcia, eating well is essential because she has sports. In addition to cross country, Garcia juggles two AP classes. Students who don’t eat regularly have less energy for physical and academic activities according to health experts. “I try to eat snack and lunch,” says Garcia. If I don’t have time to eat at lunch, I eat it at snack.” The most vital meal, especially for students, is breakfast, say health experts. Many Doctors agree that eating a filling and nutritious breakfast is the best thing you can do for your body and mind. If you skip breakfast, it can make you eat more during the day, leading to a gain in weight according to nutritionists. Garcia tries to finish her homework as early as possible, so that she can get enough rest and wake up early enough to have a decent breakfast. For lunch, Garcia, brings lunch from home on most days because she believes that the cafeteria food is unhealthy. “The food I bring is more convenient and nutritious,” says Garcia. Freshman Nick Lee and Senior John Canlas share the same belief as Garcia and consider school food to be unhealthy. Cafeteria manager Zaruhi Gezalyan explains that the cafeteria food is the exact opposite. “A lot of the food we serve has low sodium, low fat, less calories than typical foods,” she says. “Foods are specially chosen and prepared to suit the needs of students.” Items served in the cafeteria such as spicy chicken sandwich, pasta, Mexican food and Chinese food are all not unhealthy. There are even choices for vegetarians, such as salad or vegetarian pizza. For students who do not have a chance to eat breakfast at home, the cafeteria offers breakfast every morning at the cafeteria windows. “Students don’t have to worry, because the breakfast is healthy too,” says Gezalyan.