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Rethinking School Lunch is a planning framework based on a positive vision: healthy children ready to learn, “food literate” graduates, invigorated local communities, sustainable agriculture, a healthy environment. The Guide is a downloadable pdf that explains the rationale for reforming school food and explores the ten pathways that constitute this planning framework. Additional links (see below) lead to essays, interviews, and other tools.

Download the complete RSL Guide  2.5mb

The Rethinking School Lunch Guide provides ideas and strategies for changing your school meal programs, promoting health, and increasing ecological understanding. The Guide draws on the wisdom and knowledge of leading school nutrition experts and practitioners and lessons from successful programs. It is designed to help you make the case for change and discover innovative solutions to the challenges of reinventing school food.

Overview
By addressing school food, we affect public health, academic performance, economics, justice, national security, the environment, and community well-being.

Read the essay "Connecting Health with Educational Goals" by Marilyn Briggs of the UC Davis Center for Nutrition in Schools.

Explore the "Levels of Authority for School Food Systems" from the Center for Ecoliteracy book Smart by Nature to understand where decisions affecting school food are made.

Download the "School Lunch Initiative Evaluation," a study that demonstrated the effectiveness of a program combining gardening, cooking, improvements in school food, and integrating  learning about food and the environment into the academic curriculum.

Food and Health
The school food program promotes health through menus that feature a variety of delicious, appealing, nutritious offerings.

Read a case study about implementing a Farm-to-School lunch program.

Policy
The school nutrition program is guided by a district wellness policy developed and implemented through a collaborative community process.

Download a Model Wellness Policy Guide, developed by the Center for Ecoliteracy, to help you review, revise, and update your local policy.

Teaching and Learning
Hands-on learning, the lunchroom experience, and teaching and learning in the classroom deepen students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes about food, culture, health, and the environment.

Download our Visual Guide: Linking Food, Culture, Health, and the Environment.

Learn about our K-12 curriculum framework called Big Ideas: Linking Food, Culture, Health, and the Environment.

Download a discussion guide for high school to accompany the film Food, Inc.

The Dining Experience
Students feel welcomed, safe, and valued in an atmosphere that encourages social interaction and healthy eating.

Read an interview with Alice Waters, Chez Panisse Foundation on ways to make the lunch room a better location for both dining and learning.

Read an essay, "Rethinking Lunchtime: Making Lunch an Integral Part of Education," on the achievements realized when one elementary school switched lunch and recess.

Procurement
The school meal program obtains fresh, seasonal, sustainably grown produce and products from local and regional sources.

Read "Voters Tax Selves For Farm-to-School Produce, " an excerpt from the Center for Ecoliteracy book Smart by Nature.

Facilities
The dining facility serves as a learning center, offers fresh food prepared onsite, and reinforces lessons learned in the classroom.

Read an interview with Steve Marshall, The Marshall Associates, Inc., on asking the right questions while designing or remodeling dining facilities.

Finances
Budget planning using real data and creative initiatives makes the shift to fresher, more nutritious food financially viable.

Read an interview with J.P. Dozier of Bon Appétit Management Company and Marc Zammit of the Compass Group about ways to make improvements in school food more affordable.

Download a financial calculator developed by Bon Appétit Management Company for use in district-wide nutrition services financial planning.

Waste Management
The school food program reduces waste and helps students understand the need to conserve natural resources.

Read  an excerpt of The Worm Café about vericomposting for waste reduction and making waste management a part of the academic curriculum.

Professional Development
Nutrition services staff and teachers receive the training they need to realize the Rethinking School Lunch vision.

Read an interview with cook book author and chef Georgeanne Brennan on effective professional development for nutrition services staff.

Marketing and Communications
Districts take the necessary steps to promote healthy meal programs and meaningful learning environments.

Read an interview with communications expert Andy Goodman on research and communications strategies for building support among students and parents for school food reform.

Read  "Santa Monica and Riverside Salad Bars: The Salad Bar Man," an excerpt from the Center for Ecoliteracy book Smart by Nature, about a variety of techniques used successfully to increase participation by students and staff in the school meal program.