Australia remains one of the few high-income countries without a national school lunch program, despite evidence showing such initiatives improve student nutrition and academic performance.
Around 80% of primary school children in high-income countries globally receive school meals, according to research from the University of Melbourne. Nearly all primary school children in Finland, Sweden, Japan, and South Korea benefit from school lunch programs, while about three-quarters of US primary students and 40% of New Zealand students take part in similar schemes.
Rachel Carey, senior lecturer in food systems at the University of Melbourne, said Australia’s absence from the School Meals Coalition, a global alliance of national governments aiming to ensure all children receive nutritious school meals by 2030, highlights how far the country lags behind international peers.
Lessons from overseas
The need for such programs appears pressing. About 16% of Australian families with dependent children experienced food insecurity in 2023, rising to 34% in lone-parent households. High consumption of ultra-processed foods among Australian schoolchildren is contributing to rising rates of overweight and obesity, increasing the risk of chronic disease in adulthood.
International examples point to broader benefits. England introduced universal free school lunches for all children aged 4 to 7 in 2014. An evaluation of the program’s first five years found children who received free school lunches had higher educational attainment and fewer absences from school. Children in the program also consumed less ultra-processed food at lunchtime, while families saved money on food bills.
Sweden provides free school lunches to all schoolchildren, with national guidelines requiring meals to be “eco-smart” as well as nutritious. Brazil’s program mandates at least 30% of funding be used to buy food from local family farmers, supporting regional economies alongside healthy eating.
The average cost of a school meal program in high-income nations was about $1,345 per child per year in 2022. A cost-benefit analysis for expanding England’s free school meals program estimated every pound invested would generate a return of 1.3 to 1.7 times the investment through health care savings, lower food bills, and increased lifetime earnings.
In Australia, Tasmania has launched a free school lunch program delivering healthy meals to children in about 45 schools. Multiple federal and state government inquiries into food security have recommended introducing school meal programs nationwide.
Most Australian schools lack catering kitchens or dining rooms, but other countries have adopted different models. In France, for example, centralised kitchens run by municipal governments or private companies prepare meals that are delivered to schools.
As international evidence continues to link school meal programs to better health, stronger educational outcomes and long-term economic benefits, pressure is likely to grow on Australian governments to move beyond pilot schemes and state-based efforts. For now, Australia remains an outlier among high-income nations, despite mounting signs that the cost of inaction may be higher than the price of a daily meal.