Researchers looked at 557 weekly menus from Brazilian schools to understand what meals students were eating. They found two main types of meal patterns: one with traditional foods like rice, beans, vegetables, and meat, and another with more processed foods like bread, cakes, and sweets. Schools in different areas with different resources offered different types of meals. The study suggests that encouraging schools to serve more traditional, home-cooked style meals could help kids eat healthier and develop better eating habits for life.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: What types of meals Brazilian schools are serving to students and whether the quality of these meals differs based on where the school is located and how wealthy the area is
  • Who participated: 557 weekly menus from primary schools across different cities and regions in Brazil, representing schools in the National School Feeding Programme
  • Key finding: Schools offered two main meal patterns: traditional meals with rice, beans, vegetables, and meat, or snack-style meals with bread, cakes, and processed foods. Schools in wealthier areas and certain regions tended to offer higher-quality traditional meals, while other schools relied more on processed snack foods
  • What it means for you: If your child attends a Brazilian school, the quality of their school meals may depend on where the school is located. Schools that focus on traditional home-cooked style meals appear to provide better nutrition than those relying on processed foods. This research suggests schools should be encouraged to serve more traditional meals to improve student nutrition

The Research Details

Researchers collected information about 557 weekly menus from primary schools across Brazil. They used a special statistical method called Factor Analysis to identify patterns in what foods appeared together on menus. They then scored each menu using a nutrition quality checklist to see how healthy the meals were. Finally, they compared the quality of meals between schools in different locations and with different resources to see if sociodemographic factors (like location and wealth) affected what kids were eating.

This type of study is called cross-sectional, which means researchers looked at all the menus at one point in time rather than following schools over many years. It’s like taking a snapshot of what’s happening in Brazilian schools right now, rather than watching changes over time.

Understanding what meals schools actually serve is important because kids eat at school regularly, and these meals significantly impact their nutrition and health. By identifying patterns in school menus, researchers can see which types of meals are healthier and which schools might need help improving their food offerings. This information helps policymakers and school administrators make better decisions about what to serve students.

This study has several strengths: it looked at a large number of menus (557) from schools across Brazil, giving a broad picture of what’s happening. The researchers used a validated nutrition quality tool to assess meals fairly. However, the study only looked at what menus were planned, not necessarily what students actually ate or whether they finished their food. The study also didn’t track students over time to see if these meal patterns actually affected their health or eating habits long-term.

What the Results Show

The researchers identified two distinct meal patterns in Brazilian school menus. The first pattern, called ‘Traditional,’ included foods that are part of typical Brazilian home cooking: rice and pasta, beans and legumes, vegetables, and meat or eggs. This pattern appeared in many school menus and was associated with higher nutritional quality scores.

The second pattern, called ‘Snack,’ featured more processed and sweet foods: bread, cakes, biscuits, milk and dairy products, chocolate powder, and coffee or tea. This pattern appeared less frequently but was associated with lower nutritional quality scores.

Importantly, the type of meal pattern a school offered was connected to where the school was located and the economic resources available in that area. Schools in certain regions and wealthier areas were more likely to offer the Traditional pattern with better nutrition, while other schools relied more on the Snack pattern with more processed foods.

The study found that sociodemographic factors—basically where a school is located and how wealthy the area is—significantly influenced what meals schools served. This suggests that schools with more resources and support may find it easier to provide traditional, home-cooked style meals, while schools with fewer resources might depend more on processed foods that are cheaper and easier to prepare. The research also showed that the Traditional meal pattern consistently scored higher on nutritional quality measures, meaning these meals provided better nutrition for students.

This research adds to our understanding of school meal programs in Brazil by showing that there are distinct patterns in what schools serve. Previous studies have looked at nutrition in schools, but this is one of the first to identify these specific meal patterns and connect them to where schools are located and their available resources. The findings support what other research has suggested: that traditional, home-cooked style meals tend to be more nutritious than meals heavy in processed foods.

The study only looked at menus that schools planned to serve, not what students actually ate or how much they ate. Some students might not finish their meals or might trade food with friends. The study also didn’t follow students over time to see if eating these different meal patterns actually affected their health, growth, or eating habits. Additionally, the research didn’t examine why some schools chose certain meal patterns—whether it was due to budget, available equipment, staff training, or other factors. Finally, the study only included schools in Brazil’s National School Feeding Programme, so the results may not apply to private schools or schools in other countries.

The Bottom Line

Schools should be encouraged to serve meals that follow the Traditional pattern—featuring rice or pasta, beans, vegetables, and meat or eggs—rather than relying on processed snack foods. This recommendation is supported by moderate evidence from this study. School administrators and policymakers should work to ensure all schools, regardless of location or resources, have support to provide these healthier traditional meals. Parents can advocate for better school menus in their children’s schools.

School administrators, teachers, and parents of children in Brazilian schools should care about these findings. Policymakers responsible for school feeding programs should use this information to improve meal standards. Nutritionists and health professionals working with schools can use these patterns to guide menu planning. However, this research is specifically about Brazilian schools, so the exact findings may not apply to schools in other countries, though the general principle about traditional meals being healthier likely applies more broadly.

If schools switch to serving more Traditional pattern meals, students might begin experiencing better nutrition immediately, as these meals contain more vegetables, legumes, and whole foods. However, seeing measurable health improvements like better growth, energy levels, or academic performance could take several months to a year of consistent healthy eating. Long-term benefits to overall health and establishing lifelong healthy eating habits would develop over years of eating nutritious school meals.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If you have school-age children, track the types of meals served at their school each week. Create a simple log noting whether meals are ‘Traditional’ style (with rice/pasta, beans, vegetables, and meat) or ‘Snack’ style (with bread, cakes, and processed foods). Track this weekly to see patterns and identify which days offer better nutrition
  • Use the app to set a goal of advocating for one Traditional-style meal per week at your child’s school, then gradually increase the target. You could also use the app to plan and pack Traditional-style meals on days when the school serves Snack-pattern meals, helping your child get better nutrition overall
  • Over a month, track which meal patterns your child’s school serves and note your child’s energy levels, hunger satisfaction, and overall well-being on Traditional versus Snack meal days. Use the app to create a monthly report showing the percentage of Traditional meals served, and set goals to increase this percentage. Share this data with school administrators to advocate for menu improvements

This research describes patterns in Brazilian school menus and their nutritional quality, but it does not provide medical advice. The findings are based on menu analysis and do not prove that eating Traditional pattern meals will cure or prevent any disease. If you have concerns about your child’s nutrition or health, consult with a pediatrician or registered dietitian. School meal policies and nutritional needs vary by country and region. This study specifically examined Brazilian schools and may not apply to other countries’ school systems. Always work with qualified nutrition professionals when making decisions about children’s diets.