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International School Meals Day

An awareness observance on the third Wednesday of March promoting the nutritional quality of school meals worldwide and addressing the link between healthy eating, education, and reducing childhood hunger.

Thursday

March 2027

Last updated February 26, 2026 · by the Holiday Calendar Team

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YEARLY DATESecond Thursday in March

OBSERVED INInternationally

CATEGORYSchool

SUBCATEGORYStudent Life

ORIGIN

Institutional Initiative

FOUNDING ENTITY

Children in Scotland

FIRST OBSERVED

2013

HOW THE HOLIDAY CAME TO BE

Children in Scotland, a nonprofit organization, launched the observance in 2013 with Scottish Government funding to connect children worldwide and share research on school nutrition, growing from a knowledge exchange between Scotland and the USA that began in 2009.

Institutional Recordvia childreninscotland.org.uk

INTRO

Introduction

PHOTO

Kickstart a healthier life for children on March 14, for it is International School Meals Day! Established only in 2013, this dedicated day has quickly become an important awareness platform around the world. Its primary purpose is to promote the benefits of healthy eating habits to youngsters and underscore the significant role nutritious school meals play in their lives - academically, physically, and mentally. This unique day brings us together and gives us an opportunity to look at the bigger picture: Better food, better future! Let's unite to make every child's plate a tasty testament to health, well-being, and the spirit of learning. It's time to celebrate and take the right actions for a healthier tomorrow!

TIMELINE

International School Meals Day Timeline

First School Meal Programs

In United States, the first public school meal program was established in Philadelphia. This was a move towards recognizing the importance of children's nutrition.

National School Lunch Act

The National School Lunch Act was signed by President Harry Truman, officially federalizing the school meals initiative in the United States.

Introduction of Breakfast Programs

The Child Nutrition Act expanded to include breakfast programs, acknowledging the importance of the first meal of the day.

United Nations' Efforts

The United Nations' World Food Programme recognized school meals as a global priority, leading to increase in international focus on school nutrition.

Establishment of International School Meals Day

March 14 was declared as International School Meals Day, intending to spread global awareness about the importance of good nutrition for every child.

GET INVOLVED

How to Celebrate International School Meals Day

Share a healthy school lunch

Encourage parents and students to bring home-packed, healthy lunches made with love. You can even take it a step further and share a virtual school meal day, sharing photos of the healthy lunches for inspiration and celebrating the diversity of healthy foods.

START

Start a garden at your local school

Nothing promotes healthy eating more than growing your own food. Work with a local school to start a garden where students can grow fruits and vegetables. This also gives the students a sense of ownership and responsibility over their own nutrition.

HOST

Host a cook-off

Invite students and their families to participate in a cook-off competition, where they need to prepare a nutritious school meal. This is a great way to get the community involved and promote nutrition education.

START

Start a healthy recipe exchange

Encourage students, faculty, and parents to share their favourite healthy recipes. You can compile all these recipes into a book and distribute it to the school community. This will create a lasting resource for healthy meal ideas.

ORGANIZE

Organize a nutrition workshop

Invite a local dietitian or nutrition expert to your school to provide a workshop on healthy eating habits. The workshop could cover topics like how to read food labels, proper portion sizes, the importance of different food groups, and how to make healthier food choices.

WHY THIS DAY MATTERS

Why International School Meals Day is Important

Creates a Global Platform for Sharing Experiences and Good Practices

International School Meals Day offers an opportunity to share experiences, challenges and success stories around school meals globally. Countries can learn from each other's practices, leading to better school meal programs and contributing towards every child's health and well-being worldwide.

Promotes Healthy Eating Habits among Children

International School Meals Day underlines the importance of nutritious meals for school-going children. Proper nutrition plays a critical role in the cognitive, physical and emotional development of a young mind, setting the foundation for a healthier future and better performance in school.

Highlights the Role of Schools in Nutrition Education

On this day, schools worldwide emphasize the significance of nutrition education. They play a crucial role in promoting healthier food choices and teaching kids about the value of balanced diets and the potential health consequences linked to poor diet and unhealthy eating habits.