A recent study has quantified the carbon footprint of elementary school lunch menus across six major urban school districts in the U.S., while also evaluating the impact of sustainable food policies on carbon emissions and nutrition.

Data for the study was collected from New York City, Chicago, Long Beach, Miami, Portland, and Austin, analyzing meals over a four-week period to calculate carbon emissions using life cycle assessment (LCA).

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which serves over 30 million children daily, has faced criticism for its environmental impact and nutritional adequacy, often featuring high-emission meals like chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers.

Despite existing federal policies such as the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, many school meals still fall short of current health and sustainability goals, highlighting the need for a shift towards more plant-based options.

To address these issues, the study modeled three scenarios aimed at reducing carbon emissions: limiting beef meals to once a month, introducing one plant-based meal per week, and combining both strategies.

Results indicated that beef meals produced the highest carbon emissions, while plant-based meals had the lowest; specifically, reducing beef meals led to a 34% average decrease in emissions, and introducing a plant-based day yielded a 32% reduction.

When both strategies were combined, the average reduction in emissions reached 43%, and nutritional analysis showed no significant detriment to macronutrient and micronutrient profiles, with a notable increase in dietary fiber intake.

Policies implemented in various districts, such as New York City's vegetarian Monday and plant-based Friday, demonstrate practical steps toward reducing environmental impacts while enhancing student nutrition.

The study also highlights the challenges of food insecurity and emphasizes the necessity for school districts to adopt sustainable practices in response to climate change and to improve student health.

Furthermore, the research advocates for further studies to quantify the environmental impact of policy changes in school lunch programs, providing actionable recommendations to promote healthier diets and lower carbon emissions.