School Meals

What Are School Meal Programs?

Many schools provide students with access to meals through federal school meal programs including the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. These programs are administered by the United States Department of Agriculture and state agencies by reimbursing schools for providing healthy meals to students.

Who Can Participate in School Meal Programs?

All students can participate in school meal programs, and some students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.

What about meals and snacks after-school?

• Programs like the National School Lunch Program’s Afterschool Snack Service, the At-Risk Snack and Meals component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Summer Food Service Program offer financial support to provide children and youth with nutritious snacks and/or meals. CACFP and SFSP specifically reach children from low-income areas.
• School food service departments have experience following food safety and nutrition guidelines. This makes them strong candidates for serving as a Child and Adult Care Food Program or Summer Food Service Program sponsor.

Benefits of School Meals

Research shows that students who participate in the school meal programs consume more milk, fruits, and vegetables during meal times and have better intake of certain nutrients, such as calcium and fiber, than nonparticipants. And, eating breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores. Meals served through these programs must meet specific nutrition requirements. These requirements were revised in 2012 to include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and decrease the amount of sodium and trans fat.

Schools can encourage students to participate in the school meal programs by

• Providing meals that are nutritious and appealing
• Obtaining input from students and parents about items they would like to see served in the meals
• Ensuring that students have adequate time to eat their meal (i.e., at least 10 minutes for breakfast and 20 minutes for lunch)
• Preventing the overt identification of students who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals

Celebrations & Rewards

Classroom Celebrations, Events, and Nonfood Rewards

Food and beverages are sometimes part of classroom celebrations, parties, and special events or offered to students as rewards for academic achievement or positive classroom behavior. Schools and parents can work together to ensure that celebrations, events, and rewards support health. For example, they can provide only healthy foods and beverages at celebrations and events and offer nonfood items for rewards. These strategies are relevant for celebrations that happen during the school day as well as those in out-of-school time programs on school grounds. Ideas for nonfood rewards include extra time for recess, stickers, or a note of recognition from a teacher or principal.

Food and Beverage Marketing

Marketing for foods and beverages can be seen in schools on posters, the fronts of vending machines, textbook covers, and scoreboards. School districts should consider putting policies and practices into place that promote foods and beverages that support healthy diets (e.g., fruits and vegetables, plain water).

Schools can help students make healthy choices by marketing and promoting healthful foods and beverages. Some low-cost strategies include

• Collecting suggestions from students and families for meals and snack items that might be offered
• Conducting taste tests of new menu items and asking students to provide feedback
• Placing nutritious items where they are easy for students to select (e.g., placing fruits and vegetables to the front of the school meal line or near the cash register)
• Using attractive displays for fruits and vegetables (e.g., fruit basket)
• Pricing nutritious foods and beverages at a lower cost, while increasing the price of less nutritious foods and beverages
• Using signs or verbal prompts to encourage students to try healthy foods

Water Access

Benefits of Drinking Water

Providing access to drinking water gives students a healthy alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages. It helps to increase students’ overall water consumption, maintain hydration, and reduce energy intake if substituted for sugar-sweetened beverages. Adequate hydration also may improve cognitive function in children and adolescents. Drinking water, if fluoridated, also plays a role in preventing dental caries (cavities).

Access to Drinking Water

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to make free water available to students during meal times where they are served. The standards also require schools in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) to make drinking water available when breakfast is served in the cafeteria.

In addition to the requirements, schools should use a variety of strategies to

• Ensure that water fountains are clean and properly maintained
• Provide access to water fountains, dispensers, and hydration stations throughout the school
• Allow students to have water bottles in class or to go to the water fountain if they need to drink water