5 Ways Communities Around the World Are Doing School Lunch Right

U.S. school lunch has a long way to go. These communities are ensuring kids are eating healthier by nixing vending machines and balancing diets.

Medically reviewed by Heather Clarke

In 2010, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act established minimum nutritional standards for school meals including more leafy greens and whole grains, and less sugar, fats, and salt. The aim was to curb childhood obesity and reduce future healthcare costs. A 2016 study showed that following the implementation of the Act, positive change was seen and children were eating healthier. A 2020 study further revealed that the Act was associated with better dietary quality for children’s lunches across all household income levels.

Despite this positive outlook, there have been bumps along the way to the United States reforming its school meals. In 2011, The Washington Post reported that under the USDA’s guidelines, two tablespoons of tomato paste has an equivalent nutritional value to one serving of vegetables, meaning pizza could technically be considered a vegetable. Pizza is now a staple in school menus across the U.S. Again, under the USDA’s guidelines, full-strength juice may contribute towards the fruit intake requirement.

Andrea Mathis, a registered dietitian nutritionist, says that despite this, the school meals in her district are pretty balanced. “They stress the importance of offering fruit, veggies, low-fat dairy, and whole grains during breakfast and lunch. On several occasions, I’ve noticed fresh guacamole and plain Greek yogurt served alongside chicken tacos and whole grain cereal and fresh strawberries being served for breakfast. I love how they prioritize taste and nutrition.”

Mathis says that nutritious and well-balanced school meals are essential for children. “They help provide energy needed throughout the day. They also provide a foundation for promoting healthful food and lifestyle choices as they grow up.”

“Exposing children to various nutrient-dense foods while they are building their taste preferences is also important,” she continues. “Get them excited about healthy foods like avocados which have a great taste and creamy texture, or nuts which are rich in protein and have a delicious crunchy texture.”

Considering how diet is associated with growth in children and poor dietary consumption can be linked to cardiovascular disease risk in adulthood, healthy childhood dietary choices are of utmost importance and school lunches should be planned and funded with this in mind. More so, poor nutrition can undermine learning and cognitive performance which can impact educational attainment.

“A nutrient-rich diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy foods can help to support strong bones and teeth, mental health, and lower risk for chronic diseases,” Mathis explains. “A healthy diet—especially one that includes foods rich in fiber, good fats, and protein—can also help to provide children with a variety of nutrients needed for proper growth and development.”

Mathis says that one of the ways the U.S. could improve its school meals is to consult with a nutritionist. “This would help to ensure that kids are getting a variety of nutrient-dense foods at each meal.” She says another way school meals could be improved is by “making sure that all schools have adequate funding to purchase the food and resources they need to provide quality meals.”

While it’s understandably difficult to create a "one-size fits all" approach at the state and local level, there are a few things that some countries around the world get right that the US could take pointers from.

Sweden: Free Lunch for All

Like Finland, school lunches in Sweden are free. They are provided to all students of compulsory school age–6 to 16–five days a week, irrespective of parental income. Most students ages 16 to 19 also benefit from this. The country’s Education Act states school lunches must be free of charge (since 1997) and nutritious (since 2011).

Sweden's free school lunches are tax-paid and are regarded as a universal welfare service and a part of public health work. Studies show that free school lunches help create richer and healthier adults. Mathias agrees while adding that food insecurity is a very real issue. “Offering free school meals can help those who may not have access to food due to financial reasons such as socio-economic status.”

Japan: Food Education and Good Habits

For the Japanese, school lunch–or kyushoku–is more than just food. It’s an essential part of children’s education, socialization, and etiquette. They embrace the concept of shokuiku which was enacted as law in 2005. It aims to promote knowledge of food to encourage lifelong healthy eating habits, particularly through school-based programs.

Intuitive eating is a big part of this. Understanding how to support weight management and health through sharing food with family and friends, eating seasonally, and focusing on fullness rather than calories are all concepts of shokuiku.

Japanese food education is also about mindfulness and gratitude–learning, understanding, and appreciating where food comes from and how it is made is essential. Furthermore, Japanese children partake in serving duty and cleaning up after themselves to instill traits of responsibility, teamwork, and hygiene from a young age.

France: A Pledge to Sustainability

In France, a lot of effort goes into developing and maturing children’s sense of taste. Equally, France is committed to being greener and healthier.

Since 2022, the French government implemented guidelines and objectives to ensure that better quality food was being served to promote healthy eating. This includes serving one vegetarian meal option per week, preventing food waste by reinforcing recycling and composting, and ensuring 50% of all school meals are from local and organic sources.

In 2018, the National Assembly in France also voted to ban plastics used for cooking, heating, and serving meals in kindergartens, schools, and universities. The ban will apply from 2025, and in smaller communities, it will apply from 2028. This is part of France’s larger plan to crack down on packaging waste across the country.

Brazil: Enter the Nutritionists

As a response to high childhood obesity rates in Brazil and a growing concern about dietary needs among children, the law requires nutritionists to plan all school menus. Each municipality designates a specific number of nutritionists dependent on the number of children in public schools within their area.

To ensure children get a balanced and varied diet, these nutritionists coordinate Brazil’s National School Feeding Program (PNAE) and work to prioritize healthy food products from family farming in the local area. Some of the standards nutritionists must adhere to include the consideration of traditional practices and local eating preferences across Brazil, following nationally set limits of sugar, salt, and processed foods, and excluding all artificial drinks such as fizzy drinks.

Mathias stresses the importance of having nutritionists involved in school meal planning “to help ensure that meals are balanced, nutritious, and tasty.” She highlights that nutritionists have specialist knowledge of how to combine foods to help promote satiety or the physical feeling of fullness. “Keeping kids full and satisfied throughout the day is important. It also helps kids learn what foods satisfy their hunger.”

"As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I often recommend foods that contain fiber, good fats, and protein. Most people don’t know this, but avocados are essentially the only fruit that contains good, unsaturated fat, and by weight, they are almost 80% of water and fiber. They also pair well with protein foods like eggs, cottage cheese, and beans which can help you feel fuller for longer.”

Denmark: No Vending Machines Allowed

While most children in Denmark bring their own packed lunch from home, Danish schools try their very best to keep sugary snacks and drinks away from children. One of the ways they do this is by banning all vending machines on school premises. According to a 2013 study, children who consume vending machine food and drinks have significantly higher sugar intakes and lower dietary fiber, vitamin, and iron intake than kids who don’t.

Another way Danish schools keep kids healthy is by having a “no junk food” policy. Students are not allowed to bring candy, chips, or juice to school.

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