Sustainable food procurement

Public procurement of food for schools is a critical leverage point for transforming food systems. Sustainable procurement policies can influence not only the types of foods served but also the farming systems used to produce them, thereby shaping supply chains and agricultural practices. Prioritizing local, seasonal, minimally processed foods and low impact foods reduces climate impacts by cutting emissions along the supply chain and promoting sustainable farming practices. In addition, such sourcing increases biodiversity by encouraging crop diversity and agroecological methods while supporting regional economies and small-scale farmers [2–5].

Incorporating sustainability criteria into public procurement policies can also promote fair trade and ethical labor practices, contributing to social justice goals. These policies act as powerful demand signals that can encourage producers to adopt different climate-friendly practices, such as reducing pesticide use, improving soil health and transitioning to organic systems. Experiences from European and US cities have demonstrated that sustainable procurement not only improves the nutritional quality of school meals but also increases transparency and accountability in food sourcing [1,5].

Plant-forward menus

Transitioning school menus to prioritize plant-forward meals that emphasize legumes, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, offers significant benefits for both health and climate mitigation. Diets lower in animal-based foods tend to have markedly reduced greenhouse gas emissions, less water usage, and a smaller overall environmental footprint [2,6–8]. Additionally, plant-forward diets enhance childhood nutrition by increasing intake of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, while promoting dietary diversity critical for long-term health.

Successful adoption of plant-forward menus depends, at least partially, on overcoming cultural and sensory barriers. Culinary innovation plays a vital role, with chefs and food service teams experimenting with flavorful recipes that appeal to children. Equally important is engaging stakeholders, including students, parents, educators, and food providers, in menu planning and education. The OPTIMAT Intervention Study showed how participatory approaches may increase children´s acceptance of plant-based options and program sustainability [9,10]. Furthermore, clear communication about the health and environmental benefits of plant-forward meals can improve perceptions and willingness to adopt dietary changes.

Food waste reduction

Food waste within school meal programs poses significant environmental and ethical concerns. Wasted food represents lost resources such as water, land, energy, and labour, and generates avoidable greenhouse gas emissions during production, transport, and disposal. Reducing food waste and composting of remaining discarded organic matter in schools decrease the environmental burdens of food production.

Research and policies targeting food waste reduction employ strategies such as portion control, optimized menu planning, food recovery programs, nutrition education for students and staff and waste treatment through circular strategies [4,6]. Monitoring and evaluation of waste reduction interventions are essential to adapt strategies and scale successful models.

The SchoolFood4Change project

The EU-funded SchoolFood4Change (SF4C) project exemplifies a comprehensive and multidisciplinary triple approach, including food procurement, healthy and sustainable school menus and a whole-school lens, to transform school food systems. SF4C integrates food policy innovation, community engagement, and interdisciplinary scientific research to develop and scale sustainable school food programs across European cities [11]. The SF4C project’s framework emphasizes the alignment of nutritional quality, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion in school meals, highlighting that sustainable school food systems must address multiple intersecting social and health challenges such as childhood poverty, food insecurity or obesity.

Fig 1 illustrates SF4C’s multidimensional nature of sustainable school food systems, encompassing policy frameworks, stakeholder participation, and outcome measures across health, environment, and equity domains. By combining evidence-based interventions with participatory governance, SF4C offers a valuable blueprint for policymakers and researchers seeking to implement and evaluate sustainable/innovative food procurement, plant-based menus, and food waste reduction initiatives in European public-school systems. Importantly, the SF4C project stresses that equitable access to sustainable, flavourful/palatable, healthy school meals is critical to ensure social justice and reduce the persisting children´s health inequalities.

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Fig 1. Stakeholders, processes and features of sustainable school food systems Reproduced with permission from the SchoolFood4Change project.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000676.g001

Conclusions

School meal policies and research face complex challenges in balancing climate resilience, nutrition, and accessibility goals. Future research, using longitudinal study designs, is needed to provide more nuanced evidence on how to navigate these trade-offs [1]. Scaling up innovative, equitable school food programs requires transdisciplinary collaboration among policymakers, researchers, educators, food producers, and communities [12–13].

Developing standardized metrics and indicators for sustainability and health outcomes is essential to track progress and inform evidence-based decision-making as New York City is already doing [1]. Moreover, food policy coherence across sectors such as health, agriculture, education, and environment will be necessary to support integrated school meal programs [14].

As countries and cities continue to grapple with childhood poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition, and the escalating climate crisis, universal healthy and sustainable school meal programs will remain a frontline strategy. These programs hold immense potential to simultaneously promote climate resilience, improve children’s health, and advance social justice. Investing in school meals, with the possibility of upscaling to other institutional settings, from corporate cafeterias to older adult facilities, is an investment in a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable future.