Are school meals a viable and sustainable tool to improve the healthiness and sustainability of children´s diet and food consumption? A cross-national comparative perspective

Abstract

There is little agreement among governments, institutions, scientists and food activists as to how to best tackle the challenging issues of health and sustainability in the food sector. This essay discusses the potential of school meals as a platform to promote healthy and sustainable food behavior. School meal programs are of particular interest for improving public diet because they reach children at a population scale across socio-economic classes and for over a decade of their lives, and because food habits of children are more malleable than those of adults. Current research on the history and health implications of school meal programs is reviewed in a cross-national comparative framework, and arguments explored that speak for the need of a new developmental phase of school meals as an integrative learning platform for healthy and sustainable food behavior. Nutritional, social, practical, educational, economical, political, and cultural perspectives and challenges linked to the implementation of healthy and sustainable school meals are discussed. Finally, the need for long-term interventions and evaluations is highlighted and new research directions are proposed.

Child and adolescent mental health service provision and research during the Covid-19 pandemic: challenges, opportunities, and a call for submissions

“…School closures have led to distance-learning and home-schooling-not to mention challenges to food distribution: school is the place where many children around the globe get a consistent daily caloric intake. School-based nutrition is a reality in both developing and developed countries [7][8][9]. Parents are experiencing increased pressure to work from home, to keep jobs and businesses running, as well as to support, educate and comfort their children at the same time.…”

Pengaruh Program Makan Siang terhadap Asupan Makanan, Status Anemia dan Perilaku Gizi Santri Perempuan

“…11,12 Program makan siang sekolah bermanfaat dalam penyelesaian masalah gizi dan kesehatan pada anak dan remaja. 13,14 Modifikasi diet dengan meningkatkan asupan protein dan sumber pangan kaya zat besi (daging, hati ayam, ikan, kacangkacangan, sayuran hijau) serta makanan yang mendorong penyerapan zat besi (buah-buahan dan sayuran) dapat memperbaiki kondisi anemia seseorang. 15 Pemberian pendidikan gizi mengenai anemia defisiensi zat besi pada remaja putri secara signifikan meningkatkan pengetahuan gizi.…”

The political dimension of consuming animal products in education: An analysis of upper-secondary student responses when school lunch turns green and vegan

“…From an international perspective, the existence of school food programmes or free school lunches (free for all or based on income/age) differs markedly depending on the school system in different countries (cf. Oostindjer et al 2017). Sweden, Finland and Estonia (Persson Osowski 2012) are the only countries that offer free school lunches for all students in primary school, regardless of their caregivers' income (Persson Osowski, G€ oranzon, and Fjellstr€ om 2010).…”

“…The Swedish school food system is also unique since Swedish schools by law are obliged to serve 'nutritious food' (Education act 2010:800, ch.10;10 §). However other aspects of school food, such as teaching sustainability or cultural aspects are not mentioned by Swedish law (Oostindjer et al 2017). Although Swedish upper secondary schools are not obliged by law to serve school food (this is decided by the commune/region or by the school board when it comes to a private school), most such schools offer free school lunches (Swedish National Agency for Education 2011).…”