Happy National School Lunch Week! From October 12–16, 2026, schools and communities across Louisiana and the country will celebrate the nearly 30 million children who participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). This year’s theme, “Cafeteria Circus: Where Healthy Choices Take Center Stage,” celebrates the creativity, teamwork, and dedication that make school meals possible every day. School lunches provide students with fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and milk while meeting federal nutrition standards, and research shows children are getting some of their healthiest meals at school.
This year’s celebration is especially meaningful as we mark 80 years of the National School Lunch Program. It’s also an opportunity to shine a light on the school nutrition professionals across Louisiana who make the program work, from planning menus and preparing meals to creating welcoming cafeterias where students can eat, learn, and connect. Across all 64 parishes, school nutrition professionals play a vital role in supporting students in Louisiana. They help create welcoming spaces, support student well-being, and ensure children have access to the nutrition they need to learn and grow. Whether serving breakfast before the first bell, preparing lunch for hundreds of students, or finding creative ways to reach children during the summer, these dedicated professionals make a difference every day.
To Louisiana’s school nutrition professionals: thank you for showing up, serving with care, and helping nourish Louisiana’s next generation one meal at a time. We celebrate you!
Through the videos below, hear directly from school nutrition professionals about what they love about their work, why school meals matter, and what they wish families knew about the meals they serve.
What is the best part of your job?
Why are school meals so important for students?
What’s one thing about the work you do that others don’t realize?
Want to bring the Cafeteria Circus to your school? The National School Nutrition Association’s National School Lunch Week toolkit includes activities, promotional materials, and marketing resources to help schools across Louisiana celebrate.
