States Need Updated School Kitchen Equipment

Eighty-six percent of schools in the United States are serving healthy lunches, but many could do so more effectively and at less cost if they had updated equipment and infrastructure.

The Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project assessed the school kitchen equipment and infrastructure challenges in each state and the District of Columbia. The survey found that many schools are relying on workarounds that are expensive, inefficient, and unsustainable. Nationwide, 88 percent of school districts need at least one piece of kitchen equipment, and 55 percent need kitchen infrastructure changes, such as electrical upgrades. Click on a state below* to see its specific needs and the recommendations to help meet them.

Many districts across the country have had success financing kitchen improvements. Learn more here about their approaches, including partnerships, sponsorship funding, and low-interest loans. Investing in kitchens and cafeterias will help schools better serve the nutritious foods and beverages that students need. The following state reports are available in PDF format.