Step behind the serving line to catch a glimpse of modern-day school meals, and learn about the people who help ensure that America’s students are well-fed and poised for academic success.
From nutrition requirements and statistics to school nutrition success stories and national campaigns, this is everything you need to know about our nation’s school meal programs.
Key Facts
The People Behind School Meals
School Nutrition Success Stories
Learn how school nutrition professionals and meal programs have made a difference in the lives of America’s students.
School Nutrition Professionals
From chefs to nutritionists and industry partners to state agencies, learn more about the people who collaborate to ensure school meal programs thrive.
Annual Observances
National School Lunch Week
School lunches are worth celebrating! Learn more about National School Lunch Week (NSLW), commemorated annually in October.
National School Breakfast Week
National School Breakfast Week (NSBW), celebrated annually in March, honors the importance of a nutritious morning meal in fueling students for success.
School Lunch Hero Day
Recognize the impact of school nutrition professionals on School Lunch Hero Day (SLHD), occurring annually on the first Friday of May.
School Nutrition Magazine
From Leader to Coach: Sometimes the Best Answer is a Question
Leadership coach Jen Lewi shares how quality coaching and guiding someone to find their own solution (rather than jumping to provide the answer for them) can build confidence, encourage ownership and help develop stronger leaders. Plus, learn how to assess when it’s the right moment to coach, what questions to ask and how to create a coaching culture in your workplace.
The Empty Cafeteria Effect: How Low Meal Participation Signals Broader Campus Vulnerabilities
If your cafeteria is empty, don’t just ask what is on the menu. Ask what the empty seats are telling you about your school. Be visible, listen to students, involve them in menu decisions, communicate on the platforms they already use, recruit teachers and principals as advocates and create spaces students actually want to use.
Roots of Success: How Schools, Farms and State Agencies Cultivate Farm-to-School
Learn about the many factors that go into a successful farm-to-school program—geography, growing seasons, procurement requirements, storage capacity, distribution networks, processing needs, student preferences and more—and get tips, inspiration and success stories from a dairy farmer, an Arizona school district and North Carolina’s farm-to-school program.