Schools nationwide raised awareness of the benefits of healthy school meals during National School Lunch Week, last month.
With the creative “Peace, Love & School Lunch” campaign theme, special activities, menus and decorations, the National School Lunch Week celebration’s goal was to educate students and families about how school lunches support student success both in and out of the classroom. Research shows children are getting their healthiest meals at school. School lunches meet federal nutrition standards and school nutrition staff encourage students to enjoy the fruits, vegetables, milk and healthy entrees offered each day.
The federally funded National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has been fueling students for success for 75 years. During the pandemic, federal waivers permitted all schools to offer free meals to all students without an application. Since these waivers have expired, schools have had to return to charging students for meals if they are not eligible and enrolled in the Free and Reduced-Price meal program. Given the many benefits of school meals, the nonprofit School Nutrition Association (SNA) is urging Congress to offer free school meals to all students as part of their education.
Celebrations of the annual event were highlighted in South Florida by Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) Food and Nutrition Services. The Broward County goal was to feature a colorful, groovy theme that included student activities and education that promote the importance of healthy eating all while highlighting the many reasons students love school lunch. Students were also invited to wear their favorite peace, love and groovy outfits throughout the week.
The Broward celebration also included student poster contest (all grades) based on the “Peace, Love & School Lunch” theme. The grand prize winner will receive wireless air pods and charger. A winner for each grade level will also receive a prize. Elementary and Middle School students were invited to enter a Coloring Contest. Students will be selected from their creative coloring of a template lunch poster. One elementary and one middle school student will be randomly selected from submitted posters to receive AMC movie theater tickets. Local High School Instagram Contest. Students were asked to post a selfie on Instagram enjoying their lunch with a groovy theme and tag @BCPSFNS. A $25.00 gift card to Barnes & Noble along with headphones will be awarded to the top student with the most “likes” on their post.
The federally funded NSLP provides nutritionally balanced, healthy meals to students every day. The program, which has been serving the nation’s children for over 75 years, requires school meals to meet federal nutrition standards such as offering fruits and vegetables every day, serving whole-grain rich foods, and limiting fat, calories, and sodium.
“We are excited to embark on another successful National School Lunch Week,” said Zoe Crego, MS, RD, LD/N, program manager, nutrition education and training. “Through educational and fun-filled activities, we are looking forward to raising awareness of the important role that school nutrition programs play in student achievement.”
In New York City, food celebrities including, Rachael Ray were asked to offer their culinary insight to transform their food tray. Although some kids might sing the praises of the Lunch Lady who transforms one day’s meatloaf into the next day’s sloppy joes, there are students who find the meals a little less appetizing. To overcome that stigma, Mayor Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor David Bank created New York City’s first-ever Chefs Council, which includes Rachael Ray as well as several other well-known chefs, authors, and advocates. The purpose of the council is to create “healthy and nourishing meals” while following health standards and reflecting local communities and their cultures. The Chefs Council seeks to create and implement plant-based recipes that can be cooked from scratch in schools.
The “Peace, Love & School Lunch” campaign is made possible by the nonprofit School Nutrition Association and Kellogg’s. The campaign includes activity sheets and coloring pages for students and an infographic for parents on healthy school meals. Parents and students can follow the fun on social media using the hashtags #NSLW22, #PeaceLoveSchoolLunch and #SchoolLunch. Click here for more information on National School Lunch Week.
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students.
For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals
