Polk County Schools salutes cafeteria workers during National School Lunch Week

Polk County Schools recently celebrated its cafeteria workers as part of National School Lunch Week.

Cafeteria staff at each school dressed in hippie attire throughout the week to celebrate National School Lunch Week.  The theme for this year’s celebration was Peace, Love and School Lunch.

Approximately 2,000 meals are served each day in Polk County Schools. 

What Is NSLW?

Learning is tough work—and kids need fuel if they’re going to learn! That’s why a healthy midday meal is crucial to the growing children who go to school. Since 1962, when President John F. Kennedy created National School Lunch Week (NSLW), this annual observance has promoted the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life and the impact it has both in and out of the classroom.

The Importance of School Lunch

Even though National School Lunch Week was declared in 1962, the National School Lunch Program goes back even further, back to 1946. Created to provide nutritious meals to children from low-income families who might not otherwise have access to a daily meal, NSLP ensures the health and well-being of all public school students, boosts academic performance by giving students the fuel they need to succeed, and closes the opportunity gap for children across the country.

Today, the National School Lunch Program serves nearly 30 million children every school day. Not only does it reduce childhood hunger, but it also supports American agriculture.