National School Lunch Week

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) serves nearly 30 million children every school day. President John F. Kennedy created National School Lunch Week (NSLW) in 1962 to promote the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life and the impact it has inside and outside of the classroom.

NSLW26 will be celebrated October 12-16, 2026.

Learn more

Shop the Official NSLW26 Store!

Get everything you need to celebrate National School Lunch Week in style! From colorful posters and banners to fun giveaways, t-shirts, and student-friendly swag, the official SNA shop is your one-stop spot for all the merch that makes lunch week a blast.

Start Shopping

The Show Starts at Lunch

Step right up and celebrate National School Lunch Week 2026! This year's Cafeteria Circus theme shines a spotlight on the creativity, teamwork, and dedication that make school meals a daily success. Explore promotional materials, activity ideas, marketing resources, and more to bring the excitement of the big top to your school community.

Logos & Graphic Elements

Download official NSLW26 logos, themed artwork, and design elements to bring the Cafeteria Circus theme to life across print, digital, and promotional materials.

Download Graphics

Style Guide

Access the official NSLW26 Style Guide for logo usage, color palettes, typography, and design standards to help create a consistent and engaging Cafeteria Circus experience.

View Style Guide

Souvenir Shop

Step right up and explore exclusive Cafeteria Circus merchandise, giveaways, and promotional items to celebrate National School Lunch Week and show your school spirit.

Visit the Souvenir Shop

Activity Guides - English

Step right up to the Cafeteria Circus with ready-to-use activities that help engage students and celebrate National School Lunch Week.

Download Activities

Activity Guides - Spanish

Haz que el Circo de la Cafetería cobre vida con actividades en español diseñadas para involucrar a los estudiantes y complementar tu celebración.

Coming soon!

Coloring pages

Add colorful circus fun to your National School Lunch Week celebration with the Cafeteria Circus-themed coloring pages.

Download Coloring Pages

Digital Backgrounds

Transform your virtual space into the Cafeteria Circus with themed digital backgrounds for meetings, presentations, and events.

Download Backgrounds

Proclamation

Show your support for school nutrition professionals with a customizable proclamation celebrating the Cafeteria Circus and NSLW26.

Download Proclamation

Sample Press Release

Spread the excitement of the Cafeteria Circus with a ready-to-use press release for local media and community outreach.

Download Press Release

Click the image to enlarge. To save, right-click and select "Save Image As."

Important Notice for Industry Members

The School Nutrition Association greatly values our industry partners and appreciates your support of National School Lunch Week (NSLW) and National School Breakfast Week (NSBW). While participation in these campaigns is encouraged, NSLW and NSBW logos and assets are reserved for individual schools and official campaign sponsors.

To comply with our logo usage guidelines, industry partners may not use NSLW or NSBW logos in advertisements or marketing materials. For questions about appropriate use, please contact Marketing Manager Michael Pereira.

If you are interested in future NSLW or NSBW sponsorship opportunities, please contact Nita Artis, CMP, DES, Senior Corporate Sales, Industry Success & Patron Program. Thank you for your continued partnership in advancing school nutrition programs nationwide.

Benefits of School Lunch

Balanced nutrition throughout the day contributes to student success in and out of the classroom! The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) offers students fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and fat free or low fat milk with every school lunch.

Click on the link to read more about the proven benefits of the National School Lunch Program.

Celebrating Our NSLW Ambassador

We’re proud to recognize our National School Lunch Week Ambassadors, AmTab and Land O'Lakes, for their partnership and dedication to celebrating school meals.

Our ambassadors help shine a spotlight on the power of school lunch by supporting programs that fuel students with nutrition, energy, and inspiration every day. Through their commitment, we’ve been able to provide new resources, engage more schools, and make this year’s celebration bigger and brighter than ever.

Their leadership demonstrates that school meals are about more than food. They are about community, care, and opportunity. We extend our sincere gratitude to AmTab and Land O'Lakes for their continued support of school nutrition professionals nationwide and for helping make National School Lunch Week a success.

Together, we’re making sure every tray tells a story worth celebrating.

Interested in becoming an NSLW or NSBW Ambassador? Please contact Nita Artis, CMP, DES, Senior Corporate Sales, Industry Success & Patron Program.

Future Dates

Dates
October 12-16, 2026
October 11-15, 2027
October 9-13, 2028
October 8-12, 2029

National School Lunch Week