Back-to-School 2025: How Healthy Are School Lunches in New Jersey?

Back-to-school season is here, which means it's time to start packing school lunches again, unless your child prefers to buy.

Growing up, my favorite day of the week to purchase lunch was definitely Friday because it was pizza day in the school cafeteria. And it wasn't just any pizza.

It was pizza from my favorite place in town!

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Read More: Back-To-School In New Jersey: 90% Of Parents Say This Is The Hardest Part

Chicken nugget day and Taco Tuesday were two other crowd pleasers, but just how healthy are the school lunches that are being served across the country?

ProCare has released the State of School Lunch Report, giving a closer look at how school lunch quality and nutritional standards vary from state to state.

The report’s findings were based on a combination of factors, such as meals served in adherence to federal nutrition guidelines and the rate of Farm to School program participation, which is a program through which schools buy and feature locally produced, farm-fresh foods on their menus. In addition, the report considered the state’s efforts to reduce added sugars and commitment to providing well-balanced, nutritious meals for their students, including fresh fruits and vegetables.

 

Is Your Child’s School Lunch Healthy?

How does New Jersey compare?

Turns out, we rank pretty high here in the Garden State for school lunches, with Louisiana at the bottom of the list; New Jersey landed in the top 10.

The 5 States Offering the Healthiest Lunches

#1 - Massachusetts

#2 - Maine

#3 - Hawaii

#4 - North Dakota

#5 - Virginia

#6 - Connecticut

#7 - Georgia

#8 - Vermont

#9 - Rhode Island

#10 - New Jersey