Happy National School Lunch Week! From October 12–16, 2026, schools and communities across Tennessee 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 Tennessee who make the program work, from planning menus and preparing meals to creating welcoming cafeterias where students can eat, learn, and connect.
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 Tennessee celebrate.
