School meals are more than just a midday break for children. In fact, they could be a powerful tool to transform food systems and economies worldwide.
A new report from University College London (UCL), developed in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme, highlights how public school meal programs can drive both better nutrition and sustainable growth.
Globally, free or subsidized school lunches reach about 466 million children, with governments spending an estimated $84 billion each year. That level of investment, researchers argue, creates a unique opportunity to not only provide healthy meals but also support local farmers, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage sustainable farming practices.
“School meals are a tremendous opportunity for governments to use their purchasing power to promote the public good,” said lead author Mariana Mazzucato, founding director of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. She emphasized that well-designed procurement strategies should be viewed as an investment that benefits children, communities and the environment.
The report examines case studies from Scotland, Sweden and Brazil. Scotland’s program, launched in 2007, has expanded access to free meals while aiming to reduce health and economic inequalities. Sweden has used a mission-oriented approach to test innovative, sustainable menus at the local level. Brazil runs one of the largest programs in the world, serving more than 50 million meals daily and requiring that at least 30% of funds be spent on food from family farmers, many of whom use sustainable practices.
Together, these examples show how school meals can improve diets, create jobs and reduce environmental impacts when governments coordinate policies with health, agriculture and industry.
“There is widespread agreement that school meals are good for kids. But until they are also understood as an opportunity for farmers and businesses, and for food system transformation, their potential won’t be met and they will continue to be underfunded,” said co-author Sarah Doyle, a policy fellow at UCL.
The researchers argue that redesigning school meal procurement could help address some of today’s biggest challenges: hunger, ecological decline and economic inequality. For families, the takeaway is simple: better school lunches don’t just mean healthier kids, they also help build stronger and more sustainable food systems for everyone.
This report and related research was funded by the World Food Programme.