The State of School Feeding Worldwide

The State of School Feeding Worldwide is published every two years and draws on the best available data sources to present a global picture of school meals coverage, implementation practices, emerging research and costs of school-based health and nutrition programmes.

This edition continues to track the progress of the School Meals Coalition and its collective goal: to ensure that every schoolchild globally receives a daily, healthy meal in school by 2030.

A key feature of this publication is a new framework showing how school meal programmes connect directly to the food systems that supply them. By connecting schools with local farmers and supply chains, these programmes strengthen economies, support rural livelihoods, and make food systems more resilient and inclusive—all while ensuring children have nutritious diets they need to learn and thrive.

This edition also highlights a clear shift: school meals are no longer just seen as a donor-driven priority but as a nationally owned and powerful policy lever. Around the world, governments are elevating school health and nutrition in their agendas—recognising school meals as a smart investment in children’s futures, climate resilience, and stronger, fairer food systems.

Citation: WFP. 2024. State of School Feeding Worldwide 2024. Rome, World Food Programme. 
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71958/wfp130772