Introduction
In New Zealand, parents or guardians have traditionally been responsible for providing school lunches for primary school students. This study examines the effects of a government-funded
lunch programme on academic, behavioural, and physical performance in primary schools located in Southland.
Method
The study was conducted in various Southland Primary Schools. It includes four investigations that explore the principals' perspectives through interview before, and at least six months after,
they received the free lunch programme. Additionally, an online questionnaire was used to investigate the teaching staff's perspective before they received the programme. Furthermore, a
group interview was conducted to examine the perceptions of the children. The results were analysed by exploring the themes of all four studies.
Results
The findings of this thesis indicate that both teachers and principals agreed that implementing a free, healthy lunch program would positively impact the students’ academic performance.
However, the students had mixed feelings about the programme; some enjoyed it, while others did not. Additionally, the results revealed that the taste of the food played a significant role in the
students' willingness to consume the meals. All principals expressed concern about the nutritional guidelines and limitations of the free, healthy lunch programme.
Conclusion
The main discovery of the study is that taste and presentation are crucial factors for the success of the Free Healthy School Lunch Programme. To enhance taste and presentation, different
strategies can be implemented, such as giving providers more nutritional control, gradually introducing children to new tastes, and promoting healthy eating through role modelling. By
implementing these strategies, the consumption of school meals can be increased.