Fresh, healthy meals are good for students, good for learning, and often good for school finances.

Use the Making the Case suite of tools to promote fresh, healthy school meals in your community. Making the Case includes a two-minute video, a PowerPoint you can customize for your presentations, and a PDF packed with research data.

 

California Food for California KidsĀ® Downloadable Resources

Research PDF

Discover research on health, academic achievement, and finances that provides you with important facts.
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En Español

Salud, Logro Académico, investigación y Finanzas para ofrecerle hechos importantes.
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PowerPoint Template

Use the whole deck or adapt just the parts you need to make a compelling presentation for change.
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En Español

Adaptar la presentación para hacer su caso a su manera.
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Download Powerpoint

"Making the Case is engaging, informative, and to the point. It conveys our main message: it is not just hunger, nutrition, attendance, academic achievement, or economics - healthy school meals are all these things."

Sandip Kaur, Director
Nutrition Services Division
California Department of Education

"School food reform is part of the basic work we have to do to correct systemic injustice, pursue equity, and give our children the best future possible."

Tony Smith
Former Superintendent
Oakland Unified School District

"Does fresh food cost more? It might, but participation and revenue will far outweigh the cost."

Scott Soiseth
Director, Child Nutrition Services
Turlock Unified School District

"School is the biggest restaurant in every city and every town. Only nobody knows it."

David Binkle
Director, Food Service
Los Angeles Unified School District

"Breakfast helps kids get to school on time. And they go to the nurse less."

Gary Petill
Director, Food and Nutrition Services
San Diego Unified School District

What Are the Benefits of Healthy, Freshly Prepared School Meals?

Healthier Children

Well-nourished children are tardy or absent less often. They have fewer behavioral problems, require fewer visits to the school nurse, and are less susceptible to obesity, diabetes, and a variety of other health problems.

Enhanced Learning

Improving school meals can make an almost immediate difference in academic performance. Better-quality diets are linked to higher test scores, longer attention spans, increased work capacity, and more class participation.

Stronger Local Economy

In many schools, improved meals have led to higher participation and increased income. When meals use food grown locally, local jobs are created and more money remains in the community.

Greener Environment

Freshly prepared school meals can reduce the need for processed foods, minimize wasteful packaging, shorten the distance food is shipped, and create incentives for healthier agricultural practices.

Get the Infographic

This at-a-glance overview makes the case for improving school meals. Download now

About The Center for Ecoliteracy

The Center for Ecoliteracy is a nonprofit that advances ecological education in K—12 schools. We recognize that students need to experience and understand how nature sustains life and how to live accordingly. VISIT US HERE

More from The Center for Ecoliteracy

  • The Rethinking School Lunch Guide. This guide explains the rationale for reforming school food and presents a planning framework based on ten important pathways. READ MORE
  • School Lunch Survey. In this solution-oriented lesson, students conduct a school lunch survey to gather ideas and present recommendations for improving their school district's lunch offerings. READ MORE
  • School Meals Featuring California Food: Includes new recipes and favorites from our popular Cooking with California Food in K—12 Schools, all scaled and tested, with nutritional analysis for reimbursable school meals. READ MORE