You probably already know that healthy eating is important for the growth and development of children. Proper nutrition can help kids be better learners in school, develop stronger immune systems, and feel better about themselves. Poor nutrition, on the other hand, can cause health problems like obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

According to a report, children and teens who eat healthy school lunches are 340% more likely to retain what they are taught during the day. Moreover, school enrollment increases by 20% when school lunches are provided. It’s, therefore, a must to have a good cafeteria and school meal plan in place.

Not only should your school cafeteria serve good food, but it must have specially designed lunch tables for schools, a good ambiance, and a welcoming area for pupils to enjoy their meal. Once you have an inviting meal area, you can move on to decide what to provide for school meals.

School meals are one way to ensure kids get the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and strong. But even though these meals are free for students from low-income families and available at a discount for all other students, many K-12 children don’t take advantage of them. That’s why we’ve put together this list of tips to support student participation in school meals.

Boost Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it’s also the one students are most likely to skip. This can have a negative effect on their performance in school; research has shown that students who start their days with a nutritious breakfast do better academically than those who don’t. 

They are more likely to pay attention and participate in class, have fewer behavior problems, perform better on standardized tests, and have overall better health. Eating a healthy breakfast does not need to be complicated or take a lot of time. A healthy breakfast should include protein-rich foods (e.g., eggs, yogurt), whole grains (e.g., oatmeal), and fruits or vegetables (e.g., bananas or avocado toast). 

Add New Exciting Options

One of the best ways to increase student participation in school meals is to add new and exciting options. There are many different ways you can do this. Offer new entrees, side dishes, and beverages. Try serving chicken patties or tenders instead if a student likes chicken nuggets but doesn’t like fish sticks. Try macaroni and cheese as an alternative to pasta primavera, or serve a side salad instead of corn on the cob. If you don’t typically serve flavored milk, try it—students love it.

Sample seasonal foods during your local growing season. Serve locally grown peaches in the spring when they are at their most flavorful and affordable, or offer sweet potatoes in the fall when they are available fresh from local farms. Try ethnic foods that local students may be familiar with, such as Asian noodles or Italian flatbread pizzas. These types of foods will appeal to students who may not otherwise choose school lunch if only the typical fare is served.

Offer whole-grain pasta and rolls now that these new products have a taste similar to regular pasta and rolls. Students will love them. Also, offer vegetarian items such as soy-based nuggets for lunch one day a week or special occasions such as Meatless Monday to see if your students prefer them over meat-based proteins.

Give Students a Voice in Menu Planning

Are students clamoring for more of a particular food item? Are they asking for less of something else? It’s important to listen to the input of your students and their parents because your school meals program is ultimately designed for them.

One way to engage with school meal participants about what you’re serving is through surveys. You can ask students questions like, “What are some foods that you enjoy eating at school?” and “What are some foods that you think should not be served at school?” 

Having a conversation with your participants also allows them to be heard. Asking questions like, “What were your favorite new menu items this year?” will give you information on what they want you to continue doing in the future.

Mix Up the Meal-Prep Process

Involve kids in the meal-prep process. If a school cafeteria is using a vendor for their lunches, make sure kids know it. If they’re not, go to them and ask if they’re willing to get students involved in the food-prepping process.

Involving students in the meal-prep process can be a big deal in terms of getting them excited about meals and also potentially helping them put together healthy meals at home. It also makes the food more exciting than just opening up a box—kids are excited because they helped make it themselves.

Kids can help with things like menu choices, so there’s an opportunity for you to educate your community on what foods are best for their children or even on cooking methods. This is a great way to create excitement around school lunch while educating students and families about nutrition.

Make Sure There’s Fun Stuff Too

One way to make sure there is fun stuff to eat? Provide healthy versions of the foods students want. We’re talking fried chicken sandwiches, pizza, burgers, and fries that have less fat and fewer calories than traditional ones. You can even offer a taco bar or some nachos for those who have a little more time to sit down for lunch.

You might not be able to provide everything your students request, but you can try your best to offer healthy options that are packed with flavor and recognizable elements. If you think of it as providing food items instead of just plain old “meals,” they’ll feel like they’re getting what they want—and that’s one step closer toward actually eating them.

Students will also attend mealtime more frequently if it’s something they enjoy doing. When I was in school, my friends would always bring me lunch because my mom had forgotten (again). They loved seeing how excited I got over whatever she made me, even though sometimes it wasn’t anything special at all. So, while providing healthy options is important, don’t forget about making lunchtime fun too!

Get Creative with Salads

One of the best ways to get kids to eat more vegetables at lunch is by serving salads. Salads can be a great way to introduce kids to a wide variety of veggies, and they’re much more likely to choose them if they can pick out exactly which ones are in their salad. One study found that kids ate about twice as many vegetables when offered a salad bar compared to when the same vegetables were served in other dishes.

Think outside the box when it comes to your school’s salad options. Instead of offering boring old Caesar or garden salads, try out some innovative recipes like a strawberry spinach salad or Mexican sweet potato salad. Or, if you’d rather prepare sandwiches on pizza crusts, take advantage of the opportunity to add extra veggies on top! The added flavor from different dressings and toppings will keep students coming back for more.

Get Help from Other Staff, School Administrators and Parents

Administrators can help by promoting school meals and by encouraging students to eat regularly. Make sure that all of your promotional materials are well-designed so that they send a positive message about the quality of food available through school meals. You may even consider giving awards to students who have shown a commitment to good eating habits.

Parents can help by making sure their children are conscious of the importance of school meals. Tell them about the nutritional value of these foods and about how this nutrition supports strong performance in class. Students will be more likely to take school meals seriously if they have heard from their parents that mealtime is an important part of their day at school.

You probably know that students who eat school meals have more energy and a better diet. What you might not know is that those kids also do better at school, are healthier and less prone to illness, stay focused in class, and are likely to be happier in general—which is why improving student participation in your school’s meals program has so many benefits.