Serving up change: teacher perspectives about a school-provided lunch program in Victoria, Australia

Purpose School-provided lunch programs have widespread benefits, but there is no universal school-provided lunch program in Australia. This study analysed teacher perceptions about current school food provision practices and the transition to a school-provided lunch program, and associations with school characteristics. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional online survey collected data about teacher perceptions regarding (1) current school food practices and children’s food behaviours; and (2) a proposed school-provided lunch program. Statistical analyses were conducted using STATA, including descriptive statistics and simple and multiple regression models to determine associations with school type, rurality, socioeconomic position (SEP) and size. Findings Participants were 337 Australian primary school teachers. Teachers in low-SEP areas were more likely to report students coming to school without lunch (p < 0.0005) and less likely to report students having a healthy lunchbox (p < 0.0005). Teachers were either uncertain (n = 141, 42.0%) or they agreed (n = 99, 29.4%) that schools should implement a school-provided lunch program. They identified benefits, barriers and enablers relevant to school-provided lunch programs. Originality/value This is the first study to explore perceptions of Australian primary school teachers about a school-provided lunch program. With growing demand and increasing political traction for school-based food provision, findings from this study can be used by governments, public health advocates, school leadership and other stakeholders to develop a feasible, economically viable and sustainable approach to a universal school-provided lunch program for Australian schools.