School lunch has come a long way—but it's never been just about what's on the menu. In this first episode of our Beyond the Tray series, we take a step back and look at the bigger picture: how school food programs evolved, how meals are actually served at scale, and why the design of a cafeteria matters just as much as the menu itself. From early community-led programs to today's highly structured systems, we explore how efficiency, access, and environment have shaped the school lunch experience over time.

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Read more on this history of School Nutrition:

Science History Institute tells the story of the school lunch - WHYY

American Schools Have Been Feeding Children for More Than 100 Years. Here's How the School Lunch Has Changed

The History of the School Lunch | Science History Institute