School meals are multisectoral game changers

If a child is hungry, they may be less likely to attend school regularly, and when they do, they often struggle to concentrate in class. Hunger can make it harder to focus, engage and learn in the classroom. For many children, the meal they receive at school is often their most reliable source of nutrition.

School meals have been consistently proven to incentivize children to attend school regularly, keep children in school for the full day, and improve their ability to concentrate and learn. They are also highly cost-effective: every US$100 invested in school meals per child can result in up to ½ a year more of quality education.

School meals do more than improve access:  they enhance learning itself. A review of 40 studies across 19 countries found positive effects on educational attainment, cognitive skills and learning outcomes, with measurable gains in maths and literacy.

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While the first 1,000 days—from conception to age two—are critical for a child’s health and development, the next 7,000 days are also crucial. For millions of children, school meals are often the most reliable source of nutritious food. Regular access to school meals improves food security and dietary diversity, helping to prevent undernutrition and anaemia. These benefits can contribute to better cognitive function, reduce absenteeism and improve learning outcomes. The impact goes beyond physical health: school meals can help reduce stress and symptoms of depression among children. 

In the Gambia, a randomized controlled trial found that children who received a daily warm meal ate a 22% more diverse diet and reported a 13% reduction in symptoms of stress and depression — especially among girls. Global reviews support these findings: when schools implement strong nutritional standards for their meals, children’s diets improve and nutrition outcomes rise, regardless of socioeconomic background. School health and nutrition programmes also offer opportunities for integrated support, linking school meals with other health interventions—such as deworming, menstrual hygiene, dental and vision checks, and access to safe water—creating a more holistic approach to learner well-being.

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School meals are one of the world’s most widespread and reliable social support systems. What began in the 19th century as food provided by charities to vulnerable children has become a core public policy in almost every country. Today, nearly three-quarters of school meal programmes identify social protection as a central objective – underscoring their role in supporting children’s well-being, stability and long-term development.

By providing a reliable food supply at no cost to families, school meal policies shield households from hunger and cushion the impact of rising food prices. For the poorest families, a free meal for each child can offset 10–20% of their annual food expenditure—making school meals a meaningful form of economic support. Universal provision of school meals can also help reduce stigma: instead of children being singled out for having no lunch, meals become a guaranteed part of the school day for all regardless of what their family can provide. In Finland, universal access to free school meals ensures all children have a fair opportunity regardless of their background. 

The value of this support becomes even more evident during times of crisis. Globally, school meals expanded during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating their adaptability and capacity to withstand shocks, as programmes protected children when household resources were running low. In Burundi, households report improved living conditions and reduced food expenses due to support from school meals – highlighting the role of these programmes not only in safeguarding nutrition, but also in stabilizing household welfare during economic shocks.

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School meals play a powerful role in removing barriers that hold girls back from their education. Girls often face greater challenges than boys to staying in school — ranging from poverty and food insecurity to early marriage and safety concerns. Evidence shows that school meals have a particularly strong impact on girls’ attendance, dietary diversity and overall health and well-being. In Chad and Niger, where conflict and insecurity have closed schools and forced children to travel long distances, integrated programmes combining meals, cash transfers and hygiene services have increased girls’ enrolment and helped keep them safe. In Niger, the percentage of girls taking final primary school exams rose from 20% to 36%, largely driven by the support of school meals and financial incentives.

The benefits extend well beyond the classroom. They also create meaningful economic opportunities — particularly for women. From food production to purchasing, preparation and delivery, school meals programmes generate jobs that help increase women’s income. In this way, school meals support not only girls who attend school but also the women who help deliver school meals, linking education, nutrition and livelihoods in one of the most effective public investments for advancing opportunity. In Jordan, women employed in the National School Meal Programme more than tripled their individual income, while overall household income rose by a third.

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Investing in school meals is not just about nourishing children, it is also about fuelling national economies. According to the Coalition’s Sustainable Financing Initiative, reaching an additional 162 million children with school meals by 2030 would require an estimated US$2.7 billion additional yearly investment over five years. For low-income countries, this represents less than 0.1% of GDP and even less for lower-middle-income countries. The return on this investment is substantial: every US$1 spent generates between US$7 and US$35 in benefits across sectors. These benefits extend beyond the classroom, stimulating demand for local agriculture, supporting small businesses, and contributing to broader national development.

The economic potential is also evident in job creation. Globally, school meal programmes generate about 1,591 cooking jobs for every 100,000 children served. Scaled worldwide, this equates to an estimated 7.4 million cooking jobs. Beyond direct employment, school meals support millions of indirect jobs across agriculture, food production, service and delivery.  National examples reflect this impact: in Burundi, cooperatives supplying food to schools reported that a significant portion of their revenues now comes from these sales, showing how stable school food markets can strengthen local farming communities.

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Rethinking food systems has never been more urgent. The world is facing a global nutrition crisis, with malnutrition affecting nearly half the world’s population. Unsustainable food production and consumption are depleting soils and water, driving biodiversity loss and deforestation, and contributing to weather-related shocks. Food systems generate one-third of human-made greenhouse gas emissions, use 70% of freshwater, and waste a third of all food—enough to feed 1.26 billion people.

School meals are increasingly recognized as one of the smartest investments governments can make to respond to these challenges. By connecting millions of schools to local farms and food systems, they offer a practical entry point for transformation—from reducing hunger and improving diets to reshaping markets and local agriculture.

By sourcing directly from smallholder farmers, home-grown school meal programmes provide diverse & nutritious meals while boosting local economies. In Burundi, schools using decentralized vouchers to purchase from local farmers increased meal days by 75% compared with those relying on international procurement. Across Latin America and the Caribbean, public procurement policies link school meals to family farming demonstrating how these programmes can reduce poverty while fostering strong and stable food systems.

At the same time, schools can be catalysts of waste reduction. Simple measures such as solar drying, menu planning, portion control and composting can significantly reduce waste and emissions, lowering the carbon footprint of school meals by up to one-third.

What goes on the plate matters just as much as how it gets there. Shifting towards more plant-based foods in school meals delivers significant health and environmental benefits. Legumes like beans and lentils not only improve nutrition for children but also enrich soils and have lower emissions.

The transformation goes beyond procurement and delivery. Over 2.3 billion people still lack access to clean and affordable cooking energy. School kitchens present a practical opportunity to scale clean cooking solutions, particularly in low-income countries where meals are prepared on charcoal or wood stoves. Promising alternatives are already emerging in Kenya, Rwanda and Lesotho, where modern cooking solutions such as electric pressure cookers cut fuel costs by 60–90%, halve cooking time and create safer working conditions for staff, the majority of whom are women.

School meal programmes can transform schools into hubs for education and behaviour change by helping children better understand nutrition and foster healthy eating habits. In the Philippines, school gardens have helped preserve traditional vegetables while improving dietary diversity for children. Incorporating traditional and indigenous foods further strengthens biodiversity and cultural identity, while adding aquatic foods such as fish provides highly nutritious options with a lower environmental footprint, as shown in pilots in Angola, Honduras and Peru.

Taken together, these approaches demonstrate how school meals can do far more than feed children: by stimulating local agriculture, reducing food waste, promoting healthier diets, and serving as a practical catalyst for food systems transformation in response to today’s global challenges.

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In times of crisis, school meals offer stability and protection for children. Whether in the context of conflict, displacement or disaster, a guaranteed meal at school helps preserve their chance to learn and grow. School meals improve food security, support regular attendance when possible, and restore a sense of normalcy when families are facing uncertainty.

A 2022 synthesis evaluation confirmed this: school meals in emergencies improve food security, support school attendance and enhance learning outcomes, while offering children a rare sense of normalcy and continuity at a time of upheaval. The evaluation underlined the importance of governments, communities and international partners working together to make these programmes sustainable and adaptable to shocks. During crises like the COVID-19 lockdowns and the global food price surge, school meal programmes delivered four vital protections: consistent access to food; a coping mechanism for families; the ability to adapt when schools close; and a reliable form of social protection. The impact is evident in Gaza, Haiti, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen, where humanitarian partners have worked hand-in-hand with governments to provide meals in some of the most challenging conditions.

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The progress seen in recent years reflects an unprecedented level of cooperation, moving beyond unique national efforts. New multilateral mechanisms—such as the School Meals Coalition and the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty—have brought countries together at local, national, regional and global levels to share solutions and scale impact. This marks a pivotal shift in global dialogue: from donor-led, externally funded programmes to nationally prioritized and globally scaled policies.

By bringing together governments from around the world and partners across diverse sectors, the Coalition demonstrates the power of partnerships in action. It bridges ministries of education, health, agriculture and finance with UN agencies, research institutions and civil society - ensuring that school meals are recognized not only as a standalone intervention, but as a cross-sectoral public good. This integrated approach creates the enabling conditions to advance progress across education, health, food systems and national development. Notably, in the past two years, two out of every three children newly reached with school meals were in School Meals Coalition member countries.

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