Healthy school meals improve health and learning performance

28-04-2026

Daily, healthy and locally produced school meals lead to better health, higher learning performance and more equality of opportunities in primary education, according to a report commissioned by the Dutch province of Groningen. The report also states that every euro invested in healthy school meals can yield up to 5 euros in societal value in the form of, among other things, advantages in health and better development opportunities. 

If on top of this, schools buy the meals from local farmers and growers, the money stays in the region. According to the report, every euro that is spent locally finally yields 1.8 to 2.2 euros for the local economy. The authors of the report advise to develop a food network in the North of the Netherlands. (Source: Province of Groningen)