What you need to know
• Across the US, more than 95,000 schools serve school lunch to 29.6 million students a day.
• Since 2012, US schools have been required to offer vegetables, beans, peas, and lentils with lunch.
• A 2023 survey of teens found that 64% said school meals tasted good, but about 20% were unlikely to eat them because of poor quality.
• In 2024, more than 173 million Americans used food delivery apps, like DoorDash and Uber Eats.
School lunches have come a long way in recent years, with the addition of plenty of fruits, vegetables, and vegetarian options. Not every student enjoys them, though, and some are going to great lengths to have a better midday meal. While many kids bring lunch from home, others…
