1338: "Don't Skip Lunch"
Interesting Things with JC #1338: "Don't Skip Lunch" – It’s just lunch, until it isn’t. One skipped meal can change more than your mood. It can change what you do, what you decide… even who you become.
Curriculum - Episode Anchor
Episode Title: Don’t Skip Lunch
Episode Number: 1338
Host: JC
Audience: Grades 9–12, college intro, homeschool, lifelong learners
Subject Area: Health Science, Biology, Psychology, Social Studies
Lesson Overview
Students will:
Define the role of glucose and nutrition in brain function.
Compare behavioral performance before and after meal consumption using real-world studies.
Analyze the connection between nutrition and decision-making through historical and modern examples.
Explain the systemic effects of missing meals on cognition and emotional stability.
Key Vocabulary
Glucose (GLOO-kohs) — A type of sugar that serves as the brain’s primary energy source. When blood sugar dips, thinking and reaction time suffer.
Cognition (kog-NIH-shun) — The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought and experience.
Morale (muh-RAL) — The confidence, enthusiasm, and discipline of a person or group, especially in challenging conditions.
Parole (puh-ROHL) — The release of a prisoner temporarily or permanently before the end of a sentence, often based on behavior.
Blood Sugar (bluhd SHOO-gur) — The concentration of glucose in the bloodstream, which fuels the brain and body.
Narrative Core (Based on the PSF – relabeled)
Open: The story opens with a surprising 1944 U.S. War Department bulletin—not about combat, but about lunch and performance.
Info: Scientific background shows that the brain uses 20% of daily energy, despite being just 2% of body weight.
Details: A real study from Israel finds parole decisions plummet as judges skip lunch, with a sharp post-lunch rebound.
Reflection: These effects show up not just in war or courtrooms but across classrooms, offices, and elder care facilities.
Closing: "These are interesting things, with JC."
A woman eating lunch at a bistro on a patio in the city with a salad on the table
Transcript
In 1944, the U.S. War Department sent out a bulletin that wasn’t about tactics or ammunition. It was about lunch.
Turns out, when soldiers skipped it, their performance dropped, fast. Not just physically. Mentally. Their focus slipped. Reaction time slowed. They got sloppy. Even their morale took a hit. And this wasn’t just a military hunch. Scientists already knew, missing a meal hits your brain where it counts.
Your brain weighs about three pounds, roughly 2% of your body, but it burns nearly 20% of your daily energy. And it doesn’t store fuel. After four to six hours without food, your blood sugar starts to dip. That’s when the real problems show up: poor decisions, short tempers, and a drop in attention.
There’s a well-known study out of Israel that followed judges making parole decisions. Early in the day, about 65% of requests were approved. As the morning dragged on, approvals dropped to almost zero. After lunch? Right back to 65%. It wasn’t personal. They were just running on empty.
That same pattern shows up in classrooms, offices, even senior care. Kids who miss lunch struggle more on memory tests. Workers make more errors. Older adults get dizzy, disoriented, even hospitalized.
Lunch isn’t just a break in the day. It’s fuel. Skip it long enough, and your system starts to fall apart, gradually, then all at once.
So the next time someone says, “You’re not yourself when you’re hungry,” they’re not wrong.
These are interesting things, with JC.
Student Worksheet
Why did the U.S. War Department issue a bulletin about lunch in 1944?
What percentage of daily energy does the brain use, and why is that significant?
Describe the results of the Israeli study on parole decisions.
How does missing lunch affect school performance and memory?
In your own words, why is lunch considered “fuel” for the brain?
Teacher Guide
Estimated Time: 1 class period (45–60 minutes)
Pre-Teaching Vocabulary Strategy: Direct instruction with visuals and definitions of glucose, cognition, and morale.
Anticipated Misconceptions:
Students may think hunger only affects physical energy.
Some may believe decision-making isn’t linked to nutrition.
Discussion Prompts:
Can you think of a time hunger impacted your ability to concentrate or perform?
Should schools require lunch breaks for academic success? Why or why not?
Differentiation Strategies:
ESL: Use bilingual glossary of key terms.
IEP: Provide visual summaries of the episode.
Gifted: Encourage extension research on neuroscience and nutrition.
Extension Activities:
Track your own energy and focus before/after meals for a week.
Research other studies on food and behavior (e.g., breakfast studies).
Cross-Curricular Connections:
Biology: Human energy systems and the brain.
Psychology: Behavioral impacts of nutrition.
Sociology: Equity in food access and institutional decision-making.
Quiz
Q1. What year did the U.S. War Department issue its lunch-related bulletin?
A. 1939
B. 1944
C. 1950
D. 1962
Answer: B
Q2. What percentage of energy does the brain use daily?
A. 5%
B. 10%
C. 15%
D. 20%
Answer: D
Q3. What happened to judges’ parole decisions just before lunch?
A. They increased
B. They decreased
C. They stayed the same
D. They were canceled
Answer: B
Q4. Which of these is not a symptom of missing a meal?
A. Improved memory
B. Poor decision-making
C. Disorientation
D. Mood changes
Answer: A
Q5. How does skipping lunch affect older adults?
A. Improves sleep
B. Increases coordination
C. Causes dizziness
D. Improves reaction speed
Answer: C
Assessment
Explain why the brain is especially sensitive to skipped meals.
What evidence from the episode supports the idea that lunch improves decision-making?
3–2–1 Rubric:
3 = Accurate, complete, thoughtful
2 = Partial or missing detail
1 = Inaccurate or vague
Standards Alignment
Common Core (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1): Cite strong textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly and implicitly.
NGSS HS-LS1-3: Explain how feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis (e.g., blood sugar regulation).
C3 D2.PSY.3.9-12: Analyze the role of biological influences on behavior.
ISTE 1.3.K: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge.
IB DP Psychology HL 2.1: Examine how biological and cognitive factors interact in emotion.
AQA GCSE Biology 4.5.3: Understand homeostasis in humans, including blood glucose control.
Show Notes
Episode #1338 of Interesting Things with JC explores a lesser-known historical document— a 1944 U.S. War Department bulletin on the importance of lunch—and how it connects to modern neuroscience and behavioral studies. JC shows how missed meals reduce cognitive performance, decision accuracy, and even morale in settings from courtrooms to classrooms. This episode helps learners understand why nutrition is vital to brain function and societal performance, making it highly relevant for classroom discussions in health, psychology, and public policy. It invites personal reflection and opens doors for cross-curricular connections in science and social studies.
References
Danziger, S., Levav, J., & Avnaim-Pesso, L. (2011). Extraneous factors in judicial decisions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(17), 6889–6892. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1018033108
Benton, D., & Parker, P. Y. (1998). Breakfast, blood glucose and cognition. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67(4), 772S–778S. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/67.4.772S
