Should Schools Provide Students with their Meals?

Eating a good breakfast and a healthy recess, sets the stage for improved engagement in education and consequently better academic performance across the board. Research shows that improved nutrition in schools leads to increased focus and attention, improved test scores, and better classroom behaviour.

There is also evidence to support that eating a healthy breakfast will have a positive effect on a child’s cognitive performance, particularly in the domains of memory and attention. And, that there are many social benefits to students sharing a meal in a school setting, with sharing food proven to foster positive peer relationships.

So, given the social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of eating healthy food consistently at school, it raises the question of whether students should be provided with nutritious food options on a daily basis. It’s an approach not readily adopted by schools in Australia, whether they’re public, private or, independent, but as a qualified Psychologist with over 20 years’ experience that is also the CEO and Principal at an independent school, I believe it should be!

There are several benefits that have been linked to schools providing students with food throughout the day and that is why, when started WAYS Secondary, I knew it was one of the unique differences I wanted to offer my students. Given the small size of WAYS Secondary, we are in a position to do so, and this means we can provide students with the opportunity to eat breakfast before class while also offering a range of healthy (free) snacks for recess to ensure that the positive benefits last into the day. Additionally, students who come from low-income families or those who live out of home, also have their lunch provided. Students who are satiated through to lunch, behave better, contribute more to class, and remain on task longer throughout the day. Being a small school also has the benefit of staff being aware of which students require gentle reminders to eat the food provided, further supporting their educational journey.

Adopting this as a school-wide approach ensures that students from more disadvantaged backgrounds do not feel any stigma or shame in the event their parents cannot provide them with adequate food for school. At WAYS everyone is on a level playing field in this regard. Eliminating this potential source of shame is most critical during adolescence, as it provides the space for students to deal with other challenges that they may be facing. We also deliberately execute mealtimes in a communal table setting to encourage students from all year groups to interact with each other on a regular basis, thus building strong rapport and acceptance.

As a Principal and clinical psychologist, I’ve implemented this structure because I believe in its ability to benefit the students. I confidently stand by providing my students with food and attribute our approach to the extremely low incidents of bullying we see at WAYS due to the fact in part, that students are given the opportunity to connect around food on a consistent basis at breakfast, recess, and lunch times.

After witnessing the results firsthand, I have become an advocate for more schools making a change and choosing to provide their students with meals, even if it’s just one to start the day. 

For educators and decision makers interested in how they can successfully implement a similar structure, but aren’t sure where to start, I recommend considering the following:
• Allocate money in the budget
• Consider offering meals as part of a wellness initiative run by the school
• If there isn’t enough money available in the budget, find alternative ways to fundraise and/or apply for grants. You can also approach food companies to sponsor the school and promote their involvement in return (This is an approach WAYS has had success with on multiple occasions)
• If you can’t provide meals every day of the week, consider starting small and offering food on certain days. Offering on selected days is still better than not at all
• Consider providing snacks in student homerooms to make food easily accessible to students
• Provide food vouchers from your canteen to students that are known to be from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Image by Sergey Makashin