Publications and resources

This report quantifies the multi-sectoral costs and benefits of Namibia’s National School Feeding Programme (NSFP), including its home-grown pilot model. Findings show NSFP beneficiaries complete 0.8 more years of education and experience improved health, with around 700 anaemia cases averted per 1,000 children over seven years. The programme yields a high return: every NAD 1 invested generates NAD 10–14 in long-term benefits. The HGSF model further supports local farmers and vendors, offering an added transfer of NAD 285 per child per year.

Supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, this report outlines practical, country-informed solutions to overcome financing barriers that limit school meal coverage. It explores how governments can mobilize new and additional resources—such as taxing unhealthy products, leveraging climate finance, and earmarking natural resource revenues—to sustainably expand national programmes. The report makes the case that innovative financing is not only possible but essential to ensuring every child’s right to nutritious food in school.

This case study examines Thailand’s national school lunch programme, one of the longest-standing in the region. It highlights the programme’s design, institutional framework, nutritional standards and meal quality assurance. It also outlines the transition from centralised planning to decentralised budget allocation to local governments, and discusses challenges such as workload, capacity and monitoring. Key features include national school meal guidelines, inspection checklists, and digital tools.

Sineenat Ponprachanuvut, Ratana Somrongthong, Manop Kanato.

This case study documents the evolution of Bangladesh’s school meals programme, from emergency distribution of fortified biscuits to the introduction of diversified meals including cooked food. It explores the programme’s objectives, coverage, procurement models and monitoring systems, while outlining the challenges of scale-up, cost, and sustainability. The study highlights the 2019 national policy, multisectoral coordination efforts, and the upcoming government school feeding programme (2024–2027) aiming to reach 3.46 million children with a mixed menu model.

Fahmida Akter, Chowdhury Mufad Ahmed, Abu Ahmed Shamim.

This report explores the intersection of education and nutrition in the context of Sustainable Development Goals. It advocates for a systemic, life-cycle approach to strengthen both sectors and highlights how investments in education contribute to improved nutrition and vice versa. It underscores the need for robust monitoring of school meal programmes. The report also warns of growing global food insecurity, rising obesity rates, and calls for coordinated efforts across sectors to create healthier, more sustainable food and education systems.

Investing in nutrition during the first 8,000 days of life is one of the most effective ways to improve health, education, and economic outcomes. School meal programmes are a proven, cost-effective solution to ensure children get the nutrition they need to thrive—delivering lifelong benefits and driving progress toward SDG2 and broader development goals. This brief outlines key advocacy and communications opportunities for School Meals Coalition members and partners, and includes suggested messages, facts, and figures.

The Cities Feeding the Future is an initiative launched at the School Meals Coalition Global Summit in Paris 2023. Led by MUFPP, the initiative supports municipalities in implementing and improving school meals programmes while strengthening local and national government collaboration. It highlights advocacy efforts, best practice exchanges, and research to enhance urban food policies through school meals.

This case study explores the structure and diversity of Mexico’s school meals programmes, implemented by the National System for Integral Family Development (DIF). It highlights two modalities—cold and hot rations—managed at the state level, and analyses nutrition criteria, food procurement practices, and programme financing. The study also examines intersectoral coordination, programme reach, monitoring and evaluation tools, and ongoing efforts to improve food quality and sustainability.

Andrea Graciela Granja Castro, Edgar Emilio Nava López, Erika E. Alcántara García, Citlalit C. Espinosa Matus, Francisco J. Jiménez Sánchez, Adriana M. Ramírez Zenteno.