Evaluating the Impact of School Meals, Count Me In Month
We used data obtained from Torfaen and Caerphilly County Borough Councils to compare the uptake of school meals during the intervention to uptake in a previous month.
School Meals, Count Me In Month has the potential to increase school meal uptake
Overall, SMCMIM was associated with an increase in school meal uptake in both Torfaen and Caerphilly.
The two schools in Torfaen that implemented supporting activities, such as taster sessions, experienced a greater increase in school meal uptake compared to the other schools in the area. Specifically, these schools saw an 8 and 9 percentage point (pp) increase in school meal uptake compared to the previous month (September). This represents a 5 and 6 pp higher rise in uptake compared to the 3 pp increase observed in the 25 non-participating schools in Torfaen. However, the school implementing the opt-out part of the intervention only without supporting activities did not differ from non-participating schools.
Caerphilly saw a similar increase in uptake during SMCMIM. The schools with supporting activities saw a 6 and 7 pp larger increase in uptake, compared to that observed from the combined average of the 70 other primary schools in Caerphilly between November 2023 and January 2024 (we excluded December due to the winter holidays). Comparison schools showed a 1 pp decrease in uptake over this period. However, most notably, the school where only the opt-out part of the intervention was run (Deri Primary School) experienced the largest increase (14 pp greater than non-participating schools) in school meal uptake. Compared to other schools that participated in SMCMIM, the smaller size of Deri Primary School may also have contributed to the larger percentage increase in school meal uptake observed, as small numerical changes can manifest as more substantial percentages in smaller populations, while additionally making it easier for school leadership to engage and share information about the month with parents.
SMCMIM has the potential to have a longer-term impact on school meal uptake
The results from our survey of parents suggested SMCMIM may have a lasting impact on School Meal uptake. Almost half (49%) of surveyed parents in Torfaen and nearly 58% of parents in Caerphilly said that SMCMIM would make them more likely to choose school meals in the future.
However, an analysis comparing school meal uptake in Caerphilly schools before SMCMIM (November 23) with 3-months after SMCMIM (April 2024) revealed that only 1 of the 3 schools that participated in SMCMIM (Rhiw Syr Dafydd Primary School) did the increased school meal uptake compared to non-participating schools persist considerably over this period (this data was not available for Torfaen schools).
The impact of taster sessions on school meal uptake is unclear
While feedback from the parents’ survey and workshops suggested that taster sessions may have helped drive an increase in school meal uptake; results from the analysis of school meal uptake data were not conclusive.
In Torfaen, the schools with taster sessions reported a higher percentage increase in school meal uptake as compared to the school which did not run taster sessions. However, in Caerphilly, the school which did not run taster sessions outperformed the schools which did. This coupled with the 1 pp decrease in school meal uptake in Waunfawr Primary (where only taster sessions took place) means it is not possible to draw any firm conclusions about the impact of taster sessions – in the format they were run as part of this pilot – either when delivered in combination with the opt-out part of SMCMIM or on their own.
Feedback from the survey and parent workshops revealed that parental awareness of the taster sessions varied between the two councils, suggestive of limitations in efficiency and timeliness of communication. This may have reduced their impact on school meal uptake. However, of those who were aware of them, more than a third said they influenced their decision to take part in SMCMIM. During workshops, parents said that taster sessions allowed them to understand what their children were eating and therefore they could persuade them to give school meals a try. Workshops with the councils and schools also echoed the support for the taster sessions.
To what extent did the Taster Sessions influence your decision to take part in SMCMIM?
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This horizontal bar chart illustrates the influence of Taster Sessions on participation in the School Meals, Count Me In Month (SMCMIM) program across Torfaen and Caerphilly. It compares responses from parents and children in both regions. The chart shows three response categories: those aware and influenced, those aware but not influenced, and those unaware. Torfaen shows higher awareness and influence rates than Caerphilly for both parents and children. In Torfaen, 28% of parents and 27% of children were influenced by the sessions, compared to 14% for both groups in Caerphilly. Notably, Caerphilly had higher rates of unawareness versus Torfaen. The data suggests that Taster Sessions were more effective in Torfaen, with nearly half of respondents aware of the sessions in both parent and child categories, even if not all were influenced by them.
The positive impact of SMCMIM on school meal uptake was likely driven not by a default, but by changing social norms for school meals and an expectation of participation from school leadership
We designed SMCMIM as a default. Research suggests three reasons why people tend to choose default options: firstly, a default may reflect an endorsement (in this case for school meals) from those presenting the options to choose from (the school and catering team); secondly, sticking with the default choice requires no active effort, so is simply easier than switching away from it (ie, to packed lunches); and thirdly because faced with making a decision, people tend to focus more on what we lose than on what we gain (in this case opting-out could be seen as losing a free school meal).
During workshops and informal conversations with parents at the school gate, parents typically described SMCMIM in terms of the school wanting all their pupils to try school meals that month, rather than referring to the requirement to opt-out of school meals. This was echoed by the school and council leadership, highlighting the importance of an increased push from schools and councils in driving uptake. Parents also often expressed that they liked that it was something the ‘whole school was doing together’.
These findings reflect a key challenge that we encountered with regard to creating a strong default for school meals through the opt-out process. Specifically, many parents continued to send children to school with a packed lunch without formally opting out of school meals. In the majority of cases, this did not result in their child being given a school meal to eat instead of their packed lunch, nor in parents being engaged with by the school to remind them of the opt-out process.
The survey results below corroborate this by suggesting that for most parents we did not make school meals the easier choice, nor create a sense that by shifting to a packed lunch by opting out parents would be losing something (i.e. the benefit of a school meal). Therefore the intervention did not ultimately act as a default intervention.
While the opt-out process may have contributed to the sense that school meals were the endorsed option, the findings from conversations with parents suggested this was likely to be just driven by school leadership being vocal about their expectation for children to eat a school meal when communicating about SMCMIM.
Together these findings support the conclusion that the impact of SMCMIM was likely driven by the creation of a social norm for school meals and school leadership vocally setting an expectation that they would like their pupils to participate in eating them, rather than as a result of the opt-out process. This suggests that a similar increase in school meal uptake could potentially be achieved through simpler interventions, such as running a SMCMIM that emphasises that it is a ‘whole school’ event and school leadership’s expectations for participation, without altering the ordering process. Nevertheless, if future initiatives can overcome the challenges associated with creating a strong default for school meals, it may be possible for out-of-school meal interventions to drive larger increases in school meal uptake than were observed in this pilot.
To what extent do you agree or disagree that the following aspects of 'School Meals, Count Me In' month appeal to you/your child?
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This stacked bar chart compares parent responses to various aspects of the 'School Meals, Count Me In' month in Caerphilly. It presents seven statements, with responses categorized as "Strongly Agree," "Agree," "Neither disagree nor agree," "Disagree," and "Strongly Disagree." The chart shows parental perceptions of the school meal program's appeal to them and their children. Parents largely agreed that the program assured their child was getting a healthy meal at school (66% strongly agree or agree) and made ordering a school meal easier (94% strongly agree or agree). Many felt that having school meals seemed like the normal or expected choice (64% strongly agree or agree) and that it fostered a sense of community with the whole school participating together (57% strongly agree or agree). Additionally, 55% found it easier to insist their child try school meals for the month. While 49% agreed that the program reduced judgment around claiming a free school meal, opinions were more mixed on whether opting out felt like turning down a benefit, with 40% in agreement but 28% disagreeing and 31% neutral. Overall, parents generally had a positive view of the initiative, particularly regarding the ease of ordering school meals and assurance of healthy eating.
The benefits of SMCMIM extend beyond saving time and money
An overwhelming majority in Torfaen (94%) and a majority in Caerphilly (59%) agreed they were assured that their child ate a healthy meal during SMCMIM. Significant cost and time savings were a key benefit, with 82% in Torfaen and 61% in Caerphilly confirming it saved their family money and approximately 75% of parents reporting saving time in the morning. Similarly, reduced morning-time stress was appreciated by 75% of parents in Torfaen, though slightly less at 48% in Caerphilly.
To what extent were the following factors true for you/your child during ‘School Meals, Count Me In’ month?
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This stacked bar chart compares parent responses to various factors during the 'School Meals, Count Me In' month in Torfaen and Caerphilly. It presents 13 statements, with responses categorised as "Completely true," "Somewhat true," "Not true," and "Don't know." The chart reveals differences between the two regions across multiple aspects of the school meal program. In Torfaen, parents generally reported higher levels of trust in healthy meals (62% completely true) and child enjoyment (46% completely true) compared to Caerphilly (39% and 21% respectively). Both regions saw significant time savings for parents, with Caerphilly reporting a higher percentage (78% completely true) than Torfaen (63%). Stress reduction was similar in both areas. Caerphilly parents were less likely to worry about their child not eating enough. Torfaen showed more positive responses to menu variety and children liking that all ate the same menu. Both regions reported similar low levels of increased pickiness at home and stress caused by SMCMIM.
Trying new foods was a positive outcome, with 79% in Torfaen and 74% in Caerphilly stating their child did so. Relatedly, many parents (79% in Torfaen and 74% in Caerphilly) felt their child became less picky about food at home. 88% of parents in Torfaen and 93% of parents in Caerphilly also agreed that their child enjoyed school meals.
An additional benefit reported by schools during workshops was fewer storage problems as the number of packed lunches decreased, leading to smoother operations during lunchtime.
Concerns from parents often came back to choice and variability of the school meal menu
Despite the numerous benefits cited by parents, menu variety was a key concern highlighted through the survey and the parents' workshops. 40% of parents in Torfaen and 53% of parents in Caerphilly shared this concern. However, there was an appreciation of the sandwiches and salad bars available as alternative options by both councils. Following this finding Caerphilly Council has already increased the number of food choices available on school meal menus.
Some parents raised perceived concerns about portion size with 60% in Torfaen and 56% in Caerphilly reporting that they worried their child was not eating enough. However, workshops revealed that this concern was often alleviated when parents were able to see school meals for themselves during taster sessions. The size of portions served to pupils is influenced by their requirement to meet the Welsh government’s nutrition standards.
