Imagining 'eat' together: the school meal

Over the last decade, the school meal has affirmed itself as a political issue of great public significance. Public health concerns over the so-called ‘obesity epidemic’, growing socio-economic inequalities affecting food security and global calls to transit to more sustainable food systems, have spotlighted the school setting as a promising area of policy intervention. Public authorities can provide a healthier and more sustainable school meal to all pupils through public procurement, regardless of their socio-economic belonging. Yet, contemporary policy framings are currently placing great emphasis over what children eat, overlooking other aspects that could affect the lived experience of the school meal, as well as its production. \nThis research work approaches the school meal and food procurement in schools beyond nutritional principles, and frames eating as a socio-spatial practice. Through a qualitative inquiry in three European countries (Germany, Italy and Portugal), the material, organizational, symbolic and socio-ecological dimensions that make and shape the every-day practice of eating at school, are explored. This work makes the case for greater citizen engagement as a democratic and effective way to design and implement better policies for all citizens, including youth.