International School Meals Day is an annual event celebrated on the second Thursday in March to raise awareness of the importance of healthy school meals and their impact on the health and education of children around the world.
The day was established in 2013 and is a global initiative that brings together schools, communities, organizations, and governments to promote healthy eating habits and access to nutritious meals for all children. The focus of the day is to encourage dialogue, sharing of good practices and resources, and collaboration on efforts to improve school meals programs and ensure that every child has access to healthy food while at school.
History of International School Meals Day
International School Meals Day (ISMD) was first celebrated in 2013, as a collaborative initiative between the Scottish Government, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Food Programme. The day was created to raise awareness of the importance of school meals in promoting healthy eating habits and improving education outcomes for children around the world.
Since its inception, ISMD has grown to become a global movement, with participation from schools, governments, organizations, and individuals in over 100 countries. Each year, on the second Thursday in March, participants come together to celebrate the day and share their experiences and best practices in providing healthy and nutritious meals to children in schools.
ISMD has focused on a different theme each year, such as “Food for Education” in 2017, “Fresh, Healthy and Sustainable School Meals” in 2018, and “Sharing Our Successes” in 2020. The day has also served as a platform for advocacy and fundraising efforts to support school meals programs around the world.
Overall, International School Meals Day has become an important event in the global conversation about education, nutrition, and food security, highlighting the crucial role that school meals play in improving the health and well-being of children and promoting a sustainable future.
International School Meals Day Timeline
Here is a timeline of key events and milestones in the history of International School Meals Day:
- 2013: The first International School Meals Day is celebrated on March 14th, with the theme “Food Stories”. The day is launched as a collaborative initiative between the Scottish Government, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Food Programme.
- 2014: The theme for International School Meals Day is “Food and Health”. Schools and organizations around the world share information and photos of their school meals on social media using the hashtag #ISMD2014.
- 2015: The theme for International School Meals Day is “Growing and Learning”. Schools and organizations share stories and photos of school gardens, cooking lessons, and other initiatives that promote healthy eating and sustainability.
- 2016: The theme for International School Meals Day is “Fresh and Healthy”. The day highlights the importance of using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients in school meals, and promotes the benefits of healthy eating for children’s health and well-being.
- 2017: The theme for International School Meals Day is “Food for Education”. The day highlights the role of school meals in promoting education and academic success, and advocates for increased investment in school feeding programs.
- 2018: The theme for International School Meals Day is “Fresh, Healthy and Sustainable School Meals”. The day emphasizes the importance of sustainable food systems and encourages schools to source their food from local and organic producers.
- 2019: The theme for International School Meals Day is “Who makes my meal?”. The day highlights the people behind school meals, including farmers, cooks, and other food service workers, and promotes the importance of fair wages and working conditions in the food industry.
- 2020: The theme for International School Meals Day is “Sharing Our Successes”. The day encourages schools and organizations to share their successes and best practices in providing healthy and nutritious school meals, and to collaborate on ways to improve school feeding programs worldwide.
- 2021: International School Meals Day is celebrated on March 11th with the theme “Eat for the Planet”. The day focuses on the environmental impact of food systems and encourages schools to promote sustainable eating habits.
- 2022: International School Meals Day is celebrated on March 10th with the theme “Healthy School Meals for All”. The day advocates for universal access to healthy and nutritious school meals, and highlights the importance of school feeding programs in reducing hunger and malnutrition.
International School Meals Day Activities
International School Meals Day provides a great opportunity for schools, communities, organizations, and governments around the world to come together and raise awareness about the importance of healthy school meals. Here are some activities that can be done to celebrate the day:
- Organize a school meal program showcase: Schools can host an event where they showcase their school meal programs, including the types of meals served, the ingredients used, and the preparation process. This can help raise awareness about the importance of healthy school meals and highlight the efforts being made by schools to provide nutritious meals to their students.
- Share success stories: Schools and organizations can share success stories of their school meal programs, including the impact they have had on student health, academic performance, and community engagement. This can be done through social media, blog posts, or other forms of communication.
- Host a cooking competition: Schools can organize a cooking competition where students can showcase their culinary skills and creativity by preparing healthy and nutritious meals. This can be a fun and engaging way to promote healthy eating habits and encourage students to get involved in school meal programs.
- Organize a food drive: Schools and organizations can organize a food drive to collect non-perishable food items and donate them to local food banks or charities. This can help raise awareness about the issue of food insecurity and the importance of school meal programs in addressing this issue.
- Collaborate with other schools and organizations: Schools can collaborate with other schools and organizations in their community or region to share best practices, resources, and ideas for improving school meal programs. This can help promote innovation and collaboration in the field of school feeding.
Overall, the goal of International School Meals Day is to promote healthy eating habits and access to nutritious meals for all children. By participating in these activities, schools and organizations can help raise awareness about the importance of school meal programs and encourage collaboration and innovation in this field.
How to Observe International School Meals Day
Here are some ways to observe International School Meals Day:
- Share on social media: Use social media platforms to share stories, photos, and videos of healthy school meals and the impact they have on children’s health, education, and well-being. Use hashtags such as #ISMD2023 and #HealthySchoolMeals to join the conversation.
- Host an event: Organize an event at your school, community center, or workplace to celebrate International School Meals Day. This could include a meal showcase, a cooking competition, or a presentation about the importance of healthy school meals.
- Collaborate with other schools and organizations: Reach out to other schools, NGOs, and local governments to collaborate on initiatives that promote healthy school meals. This could involve sharing resources, hosting joint events, or advocating for policy change.
- Donate to organizations supporting school meals programs: Consider making a donation to organizations such as the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, or local organizations that support school meals programs in your community or around the world.
- Educate yourself and others: Learn more about the issue of school meals and the impact it has on children’s health and education. Share this knowledge with others and advocate for policies and initiatives that promote access to healthy and nutritious school meals for all children.
By observing International School Meals Day, we can raise awareness about the importance of healthy school meals and promote access to nutritious meals for all children, which in turn contributes to better health outcomes and improved academic performance.
Why is School Meals important?
School meals are important for several reasons:
- Health and nutrition: School meals provide children with access to nutritious food that is essential for their growth, development, and overall health. A balanced and healthy diet can help prevent malnutrition, obesity, and other diet-related health problems.
- Education and academic performance: Adequate nutrition is essential for children’s cognitive development and academic performance. Research has shown that children who receive healthy school meals are more likely to perform better academically, attend school regularly, and have better behavior in the classroom.
- Food security: School meals can help address food insecurity, which is a major problem for many families around the world. For some children, school meals may be their only source of food, and therefore, play a critical role in their overall well-being.
- Socialization and community building: School meals provide children with an opportunity to socialize with their peers, teachers, and other members of the school community. This can help foster a sense of community and belonging, which is important for children’s social and emotional development.
Overall, school meals are an important component of children’s health, education, and well-being. They help ensure that children have access to nutritious food, improve academic performance, address food insecurity, and foster a sense of community and socialization.
