Nutrition Education That Kids Eat Up
When students understand where their food comes from and how it fuels their bodies, they’re more likely to make informed choices that support lifelong health. Nutrition education goes beyond telling kids to “eat their vegetables." It's about creating interactive experiences that spark curiosity and make food something students are excited to explore.
MAKE SCHOOL FOOD FUN
Nearly 8 in 10 operators say educating students about food is a top goal, yet many admit it often takes a back seat to serving nutritious meals and keeping kids full.1 While nutrition education has been growing, most K–12 schools and parents want more, prompting operators to expand programs fast.1 So where should they start? The most successful real-world programs have found ways to weave food education into daily experiences, turning cafeterias into learning hubs and building a culture of curiosity around nutrition.
EDUCATION BEYOND THE LUNCH TRAY
Hands-on activities and creative events can turn nutrition from a chore into something lasting. Check out these four creative approaches schools are already using to make food education come alive.
Theme Days: Special events built around a theme give students the chance to discover new foods while connecting nutrition to broader ideas like agriculture and environmental impact. Theme days make healthy meals both educational and celebratory, creating excitement in the cafeteria and encouraging kids to try nutritious foods in a fun, low-pressure environment.
● At Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory in Pennsylvania, Metz Culinary Management hosted Mushroom Day as part of Earth Week, featuring local shiitake, portobello, cremini, and more. This showcased the nutritional benefits of mushrooms while offering students a chance to taste them in creative ways. The event not only supported local farmers but also introduced students to mushroom-based recipes like a mushroom-quinoa fricassee and even double-chocolate shiitake cookies, which were well received by students.
Cooking Demonstrations: Chef-led demos show nutrition in action, letting students see firsthand how ingredients become meals and how food choices fuel performance in academics, athletics, and the arts. These events can also help students appreciate the creativity and effort that goes into their school meal programs, strengthening their connection with their cafeteria.
● Chartwells K–12, a school dining programming resource, launched its Power Up initiative to educate students about nutrition through chef demonstrations and age-specific programs. For example, students might watch a demonstration of a macro-rich recipe for Breakfast Vegetable Quesadillas coming together, sample the dish, and take home a recipe card. Beyond demonstrations, Power Up includes tailored programming: high school athletes attend sports nutrition classes on topics like post-workout meals and the role of macronutrients, while younger students explore simpler lessons on how nutrition fuels their daily activities.
Student Cook-Offs: When students step into the kitchen themselves, nutrition becomes personal and engaging. Cook-offs let students experiment with ingredients, share family recipes, and compete in a friendly, celebratory way.
● In Connecticut, Chartwells K–12 partnered with the Connecticut district to host a student cook-off for local middle schools. Teams first faced off within their own middle school, and the winners advanced to compete against the other schools. Competitions included themed recipes and secret ingredients, and the finals were broadcast in cafeterias. The winning dish became a regular menu item, sparking school-wide buzz and inspiring more students to participate in future events.
Cafeteria Turned Classroom: Cafeterias can serve as extensions of the classroom by tying meals to academics and life skills. Interactive signage, menus that line up with classroom topics, and collaborative lessons make the cafeteria an active learning environment. This approach strengthens the link between food and education while reinforcing classroom concepts.
● At Grapevine, Colleyville Independent School District in Texas, the foodservice team works to bridge the gap between cafeteria and classroom. One example is their themed “literary lunches.” At Dove Elementary, students listened to a reading of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs before enjoying a meal of What-A-Lotta Meatballs. Meanwhile, middle schoolers at Grapevine Middle tackled math problems printed on cookie packaging.
STIR UP SOME CURIOUSITY
When nutrition education is interactive and engaging, healthy eating becomes something kids get excited about, not just something they endure.1 Schools that blend foodservice with education do more than improve student health; they also foster a culture where making healthy choices becomes second nature.1 Whether through theme days, chef demos, student competitions, or classroom tie-ins, schools can inspire students to explore food in meaningful ways.
1 Datassential K12 Keynote Report February 2025
2 Foodservice Director, Metz’s Mushroom Day places a spotlight on local fungi, June 2025
3 Foodservice Director, Chartwells K12’s Power Up initiative helps students make the connection between nutrition and performance, March 2025
4Foodservice Director, Student cook-off brings friendly competition and new menu items to Norwich public Schools, June 2024
5 Foodservice Director, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD: Where cafeteria and classroom come together, April 2024
