As we approach National School Meals Week 2025 (10–14 November), it’s time to shine a spotlight on what a healthy, hot school meal really means for our children and what it must mean if we are serious about supporting their health, learning and long-term wellbeing. According to the organisers of this week, the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA), this is “about a lot more than just the meal on the plate”.
At Rethink Food we believe in Healthy People. Healthy Planet. and the school meal is one of the most powerful levers schools and communities have to deliver on that. When children sit down to a warm plate of food, they are not just being fed: they are being supported to learn, engage, grow and thrive.
“A hot, nutritious school meal isn’t a luxury, it’s a foundation. When children are properly fuelled, they learn better, concentrate longer, and carry their energy into the rest of their lives.” – Nathan Atkinson, Co-Founder, Rethink Food
Here are just some of the wide-ranging benefits of a quality hot school meal:
- Improved concentration, behaviour and academic attainment. Research shows that a balanced lunch supports children’s energy levels and helps them stay engaged after midday.
- Nutrition and life-skills. Schools can use lunch time to demonstrate what a balanced meal looks like, to embed the idea of healthy eating for life, and build practical cooking and food-choice skills for children (and through them, families).
- Social, emotional and communal benefits. Eating together, being part of a shared lunchtime, learning table manners, engaging with peers and adults, these all matter.
- Environmental and sustainability impact. School meals offer a unique point of leverage: sourcing locally, reducing food waste, using seasonal produce, and building respect for where food comes from.
- Equity and access. A hot school meal levels up opportunities for children who may come to school tired, hungry or without optimal nutrition. It should not just be an option for a few, it must be the norm.
Let’s be clear: too many children are still missing out on what should be a basic right, a hot, healthy meal when they’re at school. We believe there are three urgent priorities:
- Universal access. All children, regardless of background, should have access to a hot, nutritious school lunch. The patchwork of provision and the “postcode lottery” approach simply doesn’t cut it.
- Quality over ticking a box. It’s not enough to offer a meal; the meal must meet real standards of nutrition, taste and dignity. If children dread lunch, or aren’t engaged, the opportunity is lost.
- Schools as centres of food education and culture. A hot meal should be part of a broader culture: talking about where food comes from, why we eat what we eat, how food links to health, environment and planet. That means schools, caterers and partners working hand-in-glove.
For National School Meals Week 2025 we urge schools and community partners to:
- Use the “School Lunch Skills for Life” initiative from LACA as a springboard for activity (each day highlights a different benefit: cooking together, nutrition, community, environment, social)
- Involve teachers, caterers, children and families in the conversation: what do children like/dislike? What could they help produce? What questions do they have about food?
- Share the message with parents, guardians and the wider school community: the value of the meal, the role they can play, the culture we are creating.
- Commit to longer-term change, beyond the week: ensuring the meal remains part of the school’s strategic vision for health, wellbeing and sustainability.
At Rethink Food we work daily through our school connections, community connections and business connections programmes to embed the link between food, health and sustainability. Our ‘Agents of Change’ programme empowers young people to be active in making informed, sustainable food and lifestyle choices. Our new focus on the National School Pantry Network in schools means we are supporting access to rescued food, nutrition education and partnerships to make sure no child goes without.
We believe that every hot, healthy school meal should be a gateway, not just to a full stomach, but to a full life. This week is a rallying point. Let’s make sure it sparks action and lasting change.
In short: if a child is in school, they should be having a hot, nourishing lunch, one that supports their mind, their body and their future. Anything less is letting them down.
Find out more about National School Meals Week 2025 and download resources here.
