At a glance
- Schools can make school nutrition and healthy eating both fun and easy.
- Schools should provide nutrition education.
- Students should be able to try new foods before they appear on the menu.
- Schools should provide at least 20 minutes of seat time for students to have their meal and socialize.
Background
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 required changes to nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. As a result, schools are: serving more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; and reducing sodium in the meals. However, there is concern that students may be unfamiliar with, and take longer to eat, some of these healthier options.
Seat time for lunch
Seat time is different from the total time for the lunch period. The distinction between seat time and the length of the meal period overall is important. Many non-seat-time activities can shorten time to eat, including:
- Using the restroom and handwashing.
- Walking to where the meal is served.
- Waiting in line.
- Choosing food items and waiting to pay.
- Walking to the table, socializing with friends, and bussing trays after the meal.
Providing enough seat time for lunch
About half of school districts nationwide do not require or recommend that schools give students at least 20 minutes to eat, once they receive their meal.
Some students report that insufficient time to eat is a key reason for not participating in the school lunch program.
Benefits of more time for lunch
Studies have shown that providing more time for lunch is associated with the following:
- Increased consumption of food and key nutrients.
- Increased selection of a fruit.
- More consumption of fruits and vegetables, lunch entrée, and milk.
- Less plate waste.
Ways to help students have enough time to eat lunch
Each school may need different strategies, but there are many ideas and best practices to consider.
Schools
Schools can schedule lunch periods that are longer than 20 minutes. This accounts for the non-seat-time activities noted above. Some studies suggest that a 30-minute lunch period allows students to have the recommended 20 minutes of seat time.
Other helpful steps that schools can take include:
- Schedule recess before lunch, when possible.
- Create comfortable eating environments.
- Get parent or grandparent volunteers to help with lunchtime supervision, and help younger students open milk, condiments, and other prepackaged items.
- Require a specific amount of time for sitting and eating before students go out to play.
School nutrition programs
School nutrition programs can:
- Provide adequate training to school nutrition staff so that meal service and payment are efficient.
- Minimize wait time in lines by adding serving lines, rearranging points of service, or offering preordering of meals.
- Offer grab-and-go meal options in the cafeteria or in remote locations.
- Cut up fruit, such as apples and oranges, so they are easier for students to eat.
- Consider the Community Eligibility Provision (a no-cost meal service option) or other options for all students to receive free meals.
The Community Eligibility Provision can increase participation in the meal programs. It can also decrease the time that students wait in line to pay for their meal.
Parents, school staff, and community members
Parents, school staff, and community members can:
- Join the school wellness team or district wellness committee that sets the policies for health and wellness.
- Ensure, in the committee, that wellness policies say students should have at least 20 minutes of seat time to eat lunch.
- Educate district and school administrators about the importance of school lunch and adequate seat time.
States
States can consider policies that address sufficient seat time, which is significantly associated with schools providing at least 30 minutes for lunch.
Resource
- Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Pub L No. 111–296.
- Bergman EA, Englund T, Taylor KW, Watkins T, Schepman S, Rushing K. School lunch before and after implementation of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. J Child Nutr Manag. 2014;38(2)1–13.
- Johnson DB, Podrabsky M, Rocha A, Otten JJ. Effect of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act on the nutritional quality of meals selected by students and school lunch participation rates. JAMA Pediatr. 2016;170(1):e153918.
- Meiklejohn S, Ryan L, Palermo C. A systematic review of the impact of multi-strategy nutrition education programs on health and nutrition of adolescents. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016;48(9):631–646.
- County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. School-based nutrition education programs. Accessed September 24, 2024. http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-works-for-health/policies/school-based-nutrition-education-programs
- Cohen JFW, Jahn JL, Richardson S, Cluggish SA, Parker E, Rimm EB. Amount of time to eat lunch is associated with children's selection and consumption of school meal entrée, fruits, vegetables, and milk. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116(1):123–128.
- Gosliner W. School-level factors associated with increased fruit and vegetable consumption among students in California middle and high schools. J Sch Health. 2014;84(9):559–568.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School health guidelines to promote healthy eating and physical activity. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2011;60(RR-5):1–76.
- Conklin MT, Lambert LG, Anderson JB. How long does it take students to eat lunch? A summary of three studies. J Child Nutr Manag. 2002;26(2):1–9.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results from the School Health Policies and Practices Study 2016. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2017. Accessed September 24, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/shpps/pdf/shpps-results_2016.pdf
- Asperin, AE, Nettles, MF, Carr DH. The non-participation survey: understanding why high school students choose not to eat school lunch. J Child Nutr Manag. 2010;34(1):1–11.
- Hildebrand D, Millburg Ely C, Betts NM, Gates GE. Time to eat school lunch affects elementary students' nutrient consumption. J Child Nutr Manag. 2018;42(2):1–13.
- Turner L, Leider J, Piekarz-Porter E, et al. State laws are associated with school lunch duration and promotion practices. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2018;118(3):455–463.