The Largest Restaurant Chain: Our Schools
our schools make up the largest restaurant chain
in the country...
The Problem &
Our Solution
Why Schools?
Public schools in the United States serve 30 million students seven billion meals each year. These 21,000+ school districts make up the largest restaurant chain in the U.S. and they’re responsible for nourishing our children.
Today, school cafeterias are flooded with overly processed and sugar-loaded meals made from ingredients that do not support healthy kids or a healthy planet. And Federal standards for schools are too low.
Why Kids?
The earlier we start healthy habits, the better. If kids demand real food, the future will be brighter for us all.
Today, kids aren’t eating enough real foods, hurting them and our planet. Food related disease is the #1 cause of early death globally, and our broken food system is responsible for 1/4 of planet warming greenhouse gases. Unhealthy and highly processed food is putting our kids’ lifespans and healthspans at risk.
All of this can be fixed, and it starts with our schools.
Eat REAL gives people the tools they need to make a difference. We support school district leaders with the knowledge, information and support system they need to fix food in schools.
By becoming Eat REAL Certified™, school districts commit to making major and continuous improvements. It doesn’t mean everything is perfect, it means the school district leaders are doing just that – leading the way towards a healthier tomorrow.
“If we can change our food, we can change our future.”
Chief Science Officer, Eat REAL Board
