Neglected No More: Why Climate-Smart Underutilized Foods Belong on School Meal Menus

Integrating neglected and underutilized species (NUS) into school meal programs presents a promising pathway to achieving this potential. These climate-smart, nutrient-rich foods not only enhance dietary diversity; they also support smallholder farmers and contribute to local food systems and economies.

However, successfully incorporating these foods into school meal programs worldwide requires addressing several key challenges. Limited access to high-quality seeds, gaps in nutrition data, challenges for logistics and procurement, and a lack of supportive policies all pose significant barriers. Strengthening research efforts and improving policy frameworks are essential to ensuring that these foods are available, accessible, and effectively integrated into school meals. 

By prioritizing culturally relevant NUS, school meal programs can serve as powerful drivers of food system transformation, promoting resilience, biodiversity, and healthy eating habits that last a lifetime. The call is clear: it’s time for policymakers, educators and communities to embrace innovative approaches that make school meals better for children, better for farmers, and better for the planet.