School Lunch Project – Pilot

Overview

Providing children with a cooked school lunch during the school day has the potential to significantly improve health, wellbeing, and education outcomes across Australia, particularly for disadvantaged children experiencing food insecurity.

The Lunch Project is a school lunch program and Thrive Global Project, first trialled in Tasmania in 2020. Due to its positive impact, the program has now been adapted and launched as a pilot in NSW, supporting students at Berkeley Public School with a nutritious, freshly prepared lunch each school day.

School Lunch Program: Addressing Food Insecurity in Australia

Across school lunch Australia systems, families are often expected to rely on:

• Packed lunch boxes
• School canteen menus
• Online ordering platforms
• Cashless payments, adding credit, or processing orders via phone or apps
• School uniform shops, fundraising events, and other school-based systems

While these systems work for many families, they do not always support households experiencing:

• Food insecurity
• Financial pressure
• Housing stress
• Limited access to fresh food

As a result, some children arrive at school hungry, missing meals, or unable to participate fully in learning and social activities.

The Lunch Project responds by removing these barriers and ensuring children receive healthy, nutritious meals, regardless of family circumstances.

Evidence from Tasmania

The original school lunch program trial in Tasmania demonstrated strong outcomes for children, families, and schools.

The evaluation report found that students:

• Concentrated better in class
• Were more willing to try new foods and ingredients
• Built stronger social skills and friendships
• Experienced improved confidence and engagement

Families reported saving money, time, and stress associated with preparing daily lunches and managing canteen systems.

These findings informed the design of the current NSW pilot.

School Lunch Pilot at Berkeley Public School (NSW)

Building on this evidence, an adapted school lunch program is now being trialled at Berkeley Public School, supporting children during a critical stage of development.

As part of the pilot:

• Year 1 students receive a cooked lunch made from scratch on site
• Meals are prepared using fresh, nutritious ingredients
• Children eat together in a calm, social environment

This partnership initiative is supported by:

• Healthy Cities Australia
• Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
• University of Wollongong

Together, partners are focused on improving children’s wellbeing, learning, and access to healthy food.

School Lunch vs School Canteen Models

Traditional school canteen models often rely on:

• Menus, items, and daily sales
• Online platforms to process orders
• Secure systems for payments, credit, and funds
• Parent-managed accounts and lunchbox decisions

While these systems can be effective, they may unintentionally exclude families unable to access or afford regular meals.

The Lunch Project provides an alternative school lunch Australia model by:

• Delivering meals directly to students
• Removing ordering systems, payment platforms, and credit requirements
• Supporting equity, dignity, and inclusion

Aim

The aim of The Lunch Project is to understand whether providing cooked school lunches in Australia can help children and families overcome challenges associated with school food, while supporting:

• Health and wellbeing
• Learning and development
• Social connection and inclusion

Objectives

The objectives of the school lunch program are to:

• Assess the effect of the trial school lunch program on participating students’ dietary intake, wellbeing, academic outcomes, and attendance
• Understand what students, parents, food provision staff, and school staff liked and disliked about the program
• Identify the associated benefits, challenges, and opportunities to strengthen and potentially expand The Lunch Project in the future

An evaluation report will help inform future school food policy and practice in NSW and Australia.

What’s Involved in the School Lunch Pilot

As part of The Lunch Project, each school week includes:

• Lunch served during first break
• Children seated at tables of six to encourage social interaction
• Meals served by cooks and helpers on plates
• 20 minutes to eat in a relaxed, pressure-free setting
• Children clearing their plates and place settings
• Opportunities for children to provide feedback on meals

This structure supports positive relationships with food, builds confidence, and creates a strong sense of community during the school day.

Addressing Food Insecurity in Schools

Food insecurity can affect children’s:

• Ability to concentrate
• Emotional regulation
• Physical health
• Participation in learning

By ensuring children receive a nutritious lunch every school day, the program helps address hunger, reduces stigma, and supports better health and education outcomes.

Resources

Learn more about the school lunch program and the Berkeley Public School pilot via the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District:

https://www.islhd.health.nsw.gov.au/services-clinics/health-promotion/research/school-lunch-program-berkeley-public-school