Student Perceptions of School Lunch and Their Association With Self-Reported Participation in School Meal Programs

OBJECTIVE: To examine students' perceptions of school lunches, their association with self-reported participation, and variations based on free or reduced-price meal (FRPM) eligibility, race, and ethnicity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with data from an online survey administered in 2023. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1,230 middle and high school students from 8 US states. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perceptions of school lunches and self-reported participation. ANALYSIS: Multilevel mixed-effects Poisson and logistic regression models. RESULTS: Around half of students liked school lunches (49%), and less than half had positive perceptions about their quantity (42%), variety (49%), healthfulness (41%), and familiarity (20%); however, positive perceptions were associated with higher self-reported participation. Black and White students reported higher participation and more favorable perceptions of school lunches than peers from other racial/ethnic backgrounds. Students eligible for FRPM and those near eligible had higher participation, but students eligible for FRPM had less favorable lunch perceptions compared with those not eligible for FRPM. Black students and those from lower-income households more often reported that school lunches are healthier than foods they bring from home, compared with students from other backgrounds and households with higher income. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Enhancing the quality, variety, healthfulness, and familiarity of school meals may increase participation and, over time, promote students' health and development.