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Chefs in the Schools: Equitable Meals Across New York City

Chefs in the Schools (CITS) completed a three‑year pilot that delivered scratch‑made, plant‑based meals to nearly one million New York City public‑school children daily. The program developed 44 culturally inclusive recipes, trained cooks in over 1,000 schools, and engaged more than 850,000 students in nutrition education. Findings show that scaling sustainable school meals requires investment in staff training, kitchen infrastructure, and supply‑chain reforms. The report offers policy recommendations—including eliminating ultra‑processed foods, expanding produce subsidies, and modernizing procurement—to replicate the model nationwide.