What's really on school plates?

School lunch isn't just a meal. It's part of kids' everyday lives, a place to learn eating habits, and a big deal for health, sustainability, and attitudes toward food.
But what is really happening on school plates? What do children eat, what do they not eat – and why? Researchers at the UL BF have addressed these questions as part of the research project School Plate – Good for Me and for the Planet (CRP V4-2307), co-financed by the Slovenian Research Agency and the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health and the National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food.

The research, conducted by researcher Anja Bolha and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mojca Korošec, among others, covered the organization of school meals throughout Slovenia, looked into school kitchens, and monitored how children accept meals that are slightly different – but still familiar.

What happens when we include more plant-based ingredients in popular dishes?

Does this mean more food waste? And what carries the most weight in all this: ingredients, habits, or taste?
This documentary video reveals the challenges schools face, why kitchens play a key role, and how big the differences between individual schools can be – even when they serve the same meals.

It offers insight into practice, voices from school canteens, and surprising findings that challenge some widespread perceptions about school meals. One finding stands out in particular: the question of school meals is not simply a question of meat or legumes. Why?

The answer is provided in the documentary video.