School lunches are healthier now – but do kids like them? Study says Yes.

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We all know that healthier school meals improve kids’ diets. But did you know kids’ like them?

The first national surveys of school leaders show that the majority of students like the new healthier lunches schools are offering after USDA’s improved nutrition standards went into effect in fall 2012.

This study is done by Bridging the Gap,  a nationally recognized research program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation dedicated to improving the understanding of how policies and environmental factors affect diet, physical activity and obesity among youth, as well as youth tobacco use.

In elementary school the study finds that there hasn’t been a significant impact on participation in the school lunch program. Sixty‐five percent of public elementary schools reported no overall change in the number of students purchasing lunch, 19 percent reported an increase in student participation, and 17 percent reported a decrease.

In middle and high schools it was found that by the spring a majority of the students generally liked the new meals to at least some extent (70% of middle school students; 63% of high school students).

The generally positive reactions to updated school meal nutrition standards may indicate they are a promising strategy to improve the diets of children and adolescents. Policymakers should continue to assist elementary and secondary school officials with implementation of the updated nutrition standards.

Find the July 2014 Research Brief here.

And find more information about how healthy snacks affect Latino childhood obesity, visit the Growing Healthy Change platform!