School meals play a critical role in supporting children’s nutrition and health in the United States; however, only about half of students participate in the National School Lunch Program on a typical school day. A recent study showed that student perceptions of school meals influence their participation. Using data from a 2023 survey of 1,230 middle school and high school students from 8 U.S. states, the study examined the relationship between students’ perceptions of school lunch quality, quantity, variety, healthfulness, familiarity, and their meal participation frequency.
Results showed that about half of the students liked school lunches, almost half (41-49%) had positive perceptions about their quantity, variety, and healthfulness, while only 20% reported familiarity with the types of food served. Positive student perceptions of school lunches were associated with higher self-reported participation. Students' liking school lunches was the perception most highly associated with self-reported participation and students were more likely to report liking school lunches if they had positive perceptions about their taste and appeal, or if the foods served at school were similar to what they eat at home.
Perceptions of school lunches varied by income, race and ethnicity. Hispanic students reported less favorable views of school meals and lower participation, while Black and White students reported more favorable views and higher participation. Students eligible for free or reduced-priced meals reported higher participation, but less favorable views than students not eligible for free or reduced priced meals. Black students and students from lower-income households more often reported that school lunches are healthier than foods they bring from home, likely reflecting well studied challenges related to accessing healthy foods among families with limited resources.
Overall, study findings suggest that efforts to improve student perceptions and experiences related to the quality, variety, healthfulness, and familiarity of school meals may help increase student participation and satisfaction. Policymakers investing in initiatives that help schools upgrade their kitchen facilities and equipment, hire and train foodservice staff, and procure and serve more fresh, whole foods may improve meal quality, healthfulness, and appeal. While study findings demonstrate the critical role that school meals can play in supporting the nutrition of children who may have less access to healthy foods at home and in their communities, they also highlight the importance of addressing disparities in healthy food availability outside of school.
This research was conducted by Monica Zuercher, Dania Orta-Aleman, Caitlin French, Christina Hecht, Kenneth Hecht, Lorrene Ritchie, and Wendi Gosliner with the Nutrition Policy Institute, Juliana Cohen with the Center for Health Inclusion, Research and Practice at Merrimack College, Michele Polacsek with the Center for Excellence in Public Health, University of New England, and Marlene Schwartz with the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health University of Connecticut. This research was funded by California General Fund Senate Bill (SB) 170 (2021), SB 154 (2022), and SB 101 (2023).