UNESCO released the report "Education and Nutrition: Learn to Eat Well" during the 'Nutrition for Growth' event hosted by France on March 27-28, 2025. The report highlights concerns regarding the nutritional quality of school meals worldwide and urges governments to improve food standards in schools.
As of 2024, approximately 47% of primary school pupils worldwide received school meals, but many of these meals lack adequate nutrition. In 2022, about 27% of school meals were not designed with input from nutritionists.
Out of 187 countries evaluated, only 93 had legislation governing school food policies, and just 65% of these countries had specific standards for food sold in school cafeterias and vending machines.
Several countries have implemented successful school meal programs to address these concerns, such as India, where the introduction of fortified organic pearl millet in Maharashtra has significantly enhanced cognitive function in adolescents.