New study on California school meals shows that scratch-cooking and the use of organic and locally grown foods may reduce barriers to student meal participation

A 2025 California study surveying 430 California school food authorities, SFAs, evaluated the use of scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods in school meals. For many U.S. children, school meals contribute a significant portion of their diet and offer an opportunity to improve diet quality amid a national epidemic of diet-related chronic disease. The study showed that food service directors reporting more scratch-cooking also reported reduced barriers to student meal participation due to concerns over meal healthfulness, taste, and freshness, while the increased use of organic and locally grown foods was associated with reduced barriers to student meal participation due to concerns about the meals’ healthfulness. A key factor in increasing access to these foods was the availability of state and federal grants to buy local foods. Schools that received grants used scratch cooking and organic foods 23% and 85% more frequently, respectively, than those without grants. Schools were also more likely to report that at least 40% of foods used in school meals were locally grown when they received these grants. The use of organic and locally grown foods was higher among SFAs that used more scratch cooking and lower among SFAs with inadequate kitchen facilities and storage space. Providing adequate resources for schools to incorporate scratch-cooking, organic, and locally grown food can improve school meal programs to better serve students and promote healthy diets early in life. This study was conducted by the Nutrition Policy Institute, Merrimack College, Partnership for a Healthier America, Arizona State University, University of Connecticut and Stanford University. It was funded by California General Fund Senate Bill (SB) 170 (2021), SB 154 (2022), and SB 101 (2023).