How school cafeteria meals have changed (2024)

FAQs

How have school lunches changed over time? ›

Many began changing their menus to provide somewhat healthier meals like grilled jerk chicken, barbecued pork sandwiches, and fresh (instead of canned) fruits and vegetables. Also, natural and organic food companies began to take more of an interest in providing school lunches.

Updated sodium requirements for school meals include a single sodium reduction of approximately 10 percent at breakfast and 15 percent at lunch, set to begin in school year 2027-28. These updates bring sodium limits down to the exact limits that were previously referred to as the Target 2 limits, issued in 2012.

The 1980s brought chaos to the national table, including what was considered an acceptable meal for school children. Ketchup and pickle relish became acceptable so-called vegetables when served alongside french fries or hamburgers. Hamburgers could be cut with a soy filler to stretch the meat further.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act changed nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program by requiring that schools serve more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free and/or low-fat milk more frequently and less starchy vegetables or foods high in sodium and trans fat.

Because of the low budgets, rolled back standards and forced ingredients with longer shelf lives, school cafeterias often opt for processed foods that are high in preservatives. Public school lunches may be held to lower quality criteria than fast food, which is typically thought to be the worst of the worst.

1970s. The '70s saw more efforts to provide free or reduced-price lunches to low-income families through government programs; outside of those efforts, lunches cost between 50 cents and $1.

School lunches in the 50s were pretty much like the meat and two veg in diners at the time. There was only one lunch, no choice. Typically it would be a ham slice with pineapple, mashed potatoes and gravy amd green beans. Or turkey and dressing or Salisbury steak.

The 1960s introduced pizza to school lunch menus.

Kids could also rely on traditional favorites like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and fish sticks with tartar sauce. Many school districts centralized their lunch production.

1930s: School lunch and the New Deal

The program was so successful that by 1941 every state (plus Washington D.C.) had a lunch program in place. A typical school lunch at the time included items like veggie soup, peanut butter sandwiches, and the occasional piece of fresh fruit.

instituted changes to school lunches that included offering kids more whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Are school lunches actually healthy? ›

“On average, school meals are healthier than the food American children consume from any other source including at home, but we're at a critical time to further strengthen their nutrition,” says senior author Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and professor of nutrition at the Friedman School at Tufts University.

Studies have shown that longer school lunch periods are associated with increased student consumption of healthy food choices such as more fruits, vegetables and less plate waste.

Access to free school meals in particular improves student health and attendance, reduces disciplinary infractions, and increases test scores among marginalized groups of students.

1960s. The 1960s welcomed pizza to school lunch menus, and cafeterias never looked back. During this decade, students could expect to pay between 30 and 50 cents for a school meal.

Making the switch to higher-quality, more nutritious and locally sourced food can help schools create healthy school lunches students enjoy — all while working within a budget. Preparing more meals on-site can also be a great way to improve the quality of school lunches.