A cross-sectional study on parental support and preferences for healthy school lunch concepts in Dutch primary schools

In the Netherlands, school lunches have not traditionally been part of the culture, as most children bring packed lunches from home. However, there is growing advocacy for introducing school lunches in The Netherlands. This highlights the importance of understanding parental support for school lunches. The aim of this study was to investigate parental support and preferences for different school lunch concepts in Dutch primary schools and to examine subgroup differences by sex, education level, financial situation, and migration background. This cross-sectional study was conducted among Dutch parents of primary school children. Participants completed an online questionnaire in which their support for six healthy school lunch concepts was measured (Likert scale ranging from −2 to +2) as well as their preferred lunch concept. Results showed that a total of 1861 parents completed the questionnaire (82.6 % female, mean age 45.5, SD: 5.8 years). The highest parental support was found for the concepts “sandwiches prepared by the children themselves at school” (mean 0.95, SD: 1.09) and “school policy for a healthy lunch from home” (mean 0.88, SD: 1.04). The lowest parental support and preferred concepts were hot lunch concepts, although parents with a non-Western migration background reported greater support and preference for hot lunch concepts. The results of this study showed that there is support for schools providing lunch in the Netherlands, especially for those concepts that resemble the type of lunches that children currently bring from home. For implementation, it is important to take into account subgroup differences. • Parents favor school lunches that feel familiar, like sandwiches. • Sandwich lunch options get the most support. • Hot lunches are least popular, except among non-Western parents. • Lunch preferences vary by background, education, and finances. • Tailor lunch plans to diverse family needs and situations.