School Food Advocacy Toolkit
Welcome to the table! Better school food is one of the smartest investments we can make in kids today, in the adults they become, and in future generations. Yet, it can be hard to know where to begin.
The good news is that change is possible, and each person can make a difference. How do we know? We've done it, as concerned parents and as caring school food professionals.
Founded by a "renegade lunch lady" and a parent of three (who were in your shoes), the Chef Ann Foundation gets schools cooking. We help schools replace ultraprocessed foods with fresh, healthy, and delicious scratch-cooked meals that nourish kids and protect the planet. Since 2009, our programs have reached more than 19,000 schools in all 50 states, bringing better meals to 5.9 million kids.
About the toolkit
This School Fool Advocacy Toolkit is for parents, caregivers, family members, and community members who care about replacing ultraprocessed foods in schools with fresh, delicious, made-from-scratch meals that protect kids' health and the environment.
It's divided into four steps: get educated, get organized, get support, and take action. Each step will help you navigate the ins and outs of creating an advocacy group for changing school food in your community.
Step 1: Get Educated
Knowledge is power. This section will help you understand the school food system and where to focus your efforts for making meaningful change.
Step 1: Get Educated
Knowledge is power. This section will help you understand the school food system and where to focus your efforts for making meaningful change.
Step 2: Get Organized
Start your community advocacy group. Here we cover the nuts and bolts for forming and starting your school food change advocacy group. You’ll find suggestions for running meetings, an example meeting agenda, and sample conversation topics.
Step 2: Get Organized
Start your community advocacy group. Here we cover the nuts and bolts for forming and starting your school food change advocacy group. You’ll find suggestions for running meetings, an example meeting agenda, and sample conversation topics.
Step 3: Get Support
School food change takes a village. This section explains who to contact and how to prepare for meetings with decision makers at your school or district. We also review challenges your group might experience, and how to overcome them.
Step 3: Get Support
School food change takes a village. This section explains who to contact and how to prepare for meetings with decision makers at your school or district. We also review challenges your group might experience, and how to overcome them.
Step 4: Take Action
Your advocacy group is ready to get to work. Here we cover the actions your advocacy group can take to make school food healthier and tastier for kids in your community.
Step 4: Take Action
Your advocacy group is ready to get to work. Here we cover the actions your advocacy group can take to make school food healthier and tastier for kids in your community.
Tools for Home
Our relationship with food starts at home — and healthy food can be fun! Here are a few educational resources to start your family's food journey, like easy, delicious at-home recipes and a meal wheel for kids.
Tools for Home
Our relationship with food starts at home — and healthy food can be fun! Here are a few educational resources to start your family's food journey, like easy, delicious at-home recipes and a meal wheel for kids.
