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The Carbon Footprint of School Lunch: Moving Toward a Healthy and Sustainable Future for the Next Generation

Author

Listed:
  • Renate Boronowsky

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA)

  • Kevin Lin-Yang

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA)

  • Lucretia Natanson

    (Natanson Consulting, Bellevue, WA 98004, USA)

  • Kira Presley

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA)

  • Yashvi Reddy

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA)

  • Alexis Shenkiryk

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA)

  • May Wang

    (Field School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA)

  • Wendelin Slusser

    (Field School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
    Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Healthy Campus Initiative, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA)

  • Pamela A. Koch

    (Department of Health Studies and Applied Educational Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA)

  • David A. Cleveland

    (Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA)

  • Shannon Roback

    (Department of Health Sciences, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Dominguez Hills, CA 90747, USA)

  • Deborah Olarte

    (Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA)

  • Jennifer Molidor

    (Center for Biological Diversity, Tucson, AZ 85702, USA)

  • Jennifer A. Jay

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA)

Abstract

This study aimed to quantify the carbon footprint of elementary school lunch menus across six major urban school districts in the United States and to simulate the effect of sustainable food policies on carbon emissions reductions while ensuring nutritional requirements remain adequate. We analyzed a total of twenty distinct meals per district selected from a four-week period and calculated their carbon emissions using life cycle assessment data. We then modeled three scenarios to reduce carbon emissions: (1) a reduction in beef meal offerings to one day per month, (2) an introduction of one entirely plant-based day per week, and (3) a combination of scenarios 1 and 2. Our findings revealed that beef-containing meals had the highest carbon emissions, while plant-based meals had the lowest. Implementing the one monthly beef meal scenario led to an average savings of 34% in emissions, while the plant-based day scenario led to a 32% reduction in emissions. Combining both policies resulted in an average reduction of 43% in emissions. Importantly, our nutritional analysis demonstrated that implementing these sustainable food policies resulted in meals with statistically similar macronutrient and micronutrient profiles and contributed to increased dietary fiber intake. These results highlight the potential environmental and health benefits of adopting sustainable nutrition policies in elementary schools.

Suggested Citation

  • Renate Boronowsky & Kevin Lin-Yang & Lucretia Natanson & Kira Presley & Yashvi Reddy & Alexis Shenkiryk & May Wang & Wendelin Slusser & Pamela A. Koch & David A. Cleveland & Shannon Roback & Deborah O, 2025. "The Carbon Footprint of School Lunch: Moving Toward a Healthy and Sustainable Future for the Next Generation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:2955-:d:1621363
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    References listed on IDEAS

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