Rethinking school food systems: GSE scholar’s new book explores transformative models for feeding students

What if school meals were not just about food but also served as catalysts for local economies, climate-related sustainability, cultural awareness and social equity? In her latest book, “Transforming School Food Politics around the World,” University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education Professor Sarah A. Robert examines these questions while challenging educators, policymakers and communities to rethink how they approach school food systems.

Since the book’s launch in May 2024, it has sparked conversations around the globe, engaging scholars, activists and policymakers alike.

The origins of the book trace back to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, as food security and supply chains became daily concerns, Robert began re-examining school food systems through a new lens.

“I was struggling with going to the grocery store and thinking about my extended network of loved ones and kin,” Robert explained

She began questioning, “How do we ensure that our most vulnerable populations in Buffalo are being cared for as best as possible and kept as safe as possible?”

During that period, Robert realized a fresh look at school food politics was essential.

Her vision for the book took shape as she collaborated with school administrators and advocates to address immediate food needs in the Buffalo area throughout the pandemic.

Robert describes the four-year endeavor as a labor of love and a call to action. Co-authored with Jennifer Gaddis, associate professor of civil society and community studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the book is a collection of diverse case studies from around the globe that was written to be accessible and inclusive in both its design and content.

“We’ve included incredible diversity in authorship,” Robert said, underscoring the book’s goal to serve as a resource for readers from all backgrounds into dialogue on food equity and social justice.

For Robert, the publication’s audience is vast: “It’s for people who care about food systems, specifically school food systems,” she said.

She believes the book can be a resource for individuals concerned about how farmers and cafeteria workers are compensated and how food is experienced and discussed in schools. In addition, she hopes policymakers, teachers and teacher educators will read the publication.

“After two decades of research, I’ve found that food is a central part of teachers’ daily work—from addressing hunger, nutritional value and ongoing food security to recognizing the economic, educational and cultural value of food,” Robert said. “Examples of this form of care work include teachers saving free breakfasts distributed in school districts like Buffalo Public Schools, knowing their students need that food over the weekend, to those who want to bring more culturally relevant examples and discussions of food, culture and identity into the classroom.”

A highlight of the book is its comprehensive comparison of global approaches to school food programs. Robert shares examples from countries like Japan, where culturally significant foods and practices are integrated into meals, fostering respect for national foodways and supporting local agriculture.

Similarly, Brazil’s model prioritizes local procurement, requiring 30% of school food contracts to source from agroecological small family farms of marginalized and minoritized farmers of women, Indigenous and Black cooperatives. “Imagine the impact on Western New York if school food policies were designed to benefit local family farms and their cooperatives," Robert said. “In the U.S., we’re catching up with Brazil, viewing it as a model for connecting rural, urban and suburban communities sustainably.”

"Transforming School Food Politics around the World" book cover.

“Transforming School Food Politics around the World” has garnered notable media attention since its release, with a feature in Feminist Food Journal and support from renowned advocates like feminist scholar and UB alumna Silvia Federici and food policy expert Marion Nestle. Federici’s foreword emphasizes the book’s alignment with her life’s work in elevating the value of care work and social reproduction. Meanwhile, Nestle hailed the book as the “Bible” for those engaged in food advocacy in her popular blog post.

The book has also earned significant recognition, including the 2025 Association for the Study of Food and Society Book Award in the Edited Volume category and the title of Best School Meals Book in the World at the 30th Annual Gourmand Food Book Awards. This support highlights the broader social and political context of Robert’s work both locally and globally.

Building on that momentum, Robert was invited by the Rockefeller Foundation to present at its pre-convening for the United Nations Food Systems Summit, “Nourishing the Future through Regenerative School Meals,” held July 26, 2025, in Ababa, Ethiopia. Identified as a global research leader, she delivered a presentation on the cases of Brazil and South Korea with her coauthor, Jennifer Gaddis, on behalf of their transnational research team. The event brought together ministers, funders and civil society leaders to discuss how regenerative school meals can drive systemic change in health, education and local economies.

Looking to the future, she hopes to collaborate with local organizations, including the Black Food Equity Network and the Good Food Purchasing Program, to explore how the book might inspire and support local food justice efforts. “It’s really about maintaining the momentum that these organizations have already established as they work to transform Buffalo’s school food system," Robert said.

“I hope to impress upon teachers, teachers’ unions and teacher educators how we need to educate students who are becoming teachers. School food is a part of their work,” she said. “How will we mobilize as educators in ways that reflect what I refer to as policy protagonism? They need to be a part of this momentum to change the care economy in ways that don’t overlook their central role in school food transformations.”