Texas Students Celebrate National School Lunch Week

AUSTIN – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller Monday announced schools across Texas will celebrate National School Lunch Week Oct. 11-15. The annual event drives participation in the National School Lunch Program, which is administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and provides 3 million lunches every school day. TDA is promoting the balanced, nutrient-rich meals served by Texas school nutrition professionals with its 2021 theme, Feed Your Creativity with a Healthy School Lunch.

 “When students have a voice in school nutrition, they can lead the way to healthier lifestyles for all Texans,” Commissioner Miller said. “Every year, National School Lunch Week brings excitement to the cafeteria with new foods and special activities, helping students recognize that nutritious, locally-grown food can be nourishing and delicious. I encourage students to celebrate healthy school meals with this year’s theme, Feed Your Creativity with a Healthy School Lunch.”

TDA supports National School Lunch Week by providing promotional materials such as posters, stickers, menus, morning announcements and more. All materials feature the winning artwork from TDA’s You Art What You Eat student art contest. National School Lunch Week and the art contest are two of the initiatives TDA uses to engage students in learning about how good nutrition contributes to success in the classroom and beyond.   

All this month, many schools will also participate in TDA’s Farm Fresh Challenge. The annual challenge encourages schools to incorporate more Texas products into menus. Special National School Lunch Week menus curated by TDA support both events with recipes using Texas agricultural products. These efforts are part of Commissioner Miller’s Farm Fresh Initiative and help Texas students associate healthy school meals with Texas agriculture.

Supporting National School Lunch Week celebrations and other initiatives focusing on healthy lifestyles for Texas children is a priority at TDA. Our nutrition program partnerships provide unique opportunities for introducing children to the nutritional preferences that ensure a healthier future for the Lone Star State.