The perennial challenge of what to put into school lunches is upon caregivers everywhere. Balancing nutrition, affordability and taste is key.

But what about sustainability?

That’s what trend watchers have said over the summer. A couple of them, Innova and Spoonshot, identified regenerative agriculture and the environmental and social impact of foods as top trends for the year. You can hardly argue with either.

This is mostly grown-up language. Depending on their age, kids would be challenged to actually say the word regenerative. But from parents and teachers, they can get a handle on what it means – basically, growing food and raising livestock in ways that keep the land it comes from healthy. It helps explain all kinds of concepts, like how a well-managed farm creates its own fertilizer, and why one year you see a certain crop in a field, then the next year farmers rotate in a different crop. I’m sure AgScape, Ontario’s excellent source for agriculture in the classroom information, is on top of that. 

Kids can also learn firsthand about another trend and imperative, reducing food waste. That includes uneaten, unfinished lunches headed for the trash and onto landfills that no one wants to live nearby. Food waste is a great topic to cover this year in school, given how the cost of living (including food prices) has escalated and parents face unprecedented budgeting. It can also lead to discussions about food banks and their role in society.

Some other trends are less obvious. They aren’t present on the farms and in the fields all around us. For example, the trend towards sustainable seafood is usually associated with ocean fish, like tuna, a lunchbox sandwich staple. But it also includes fish closer to home, from the Great Lakes or from aquaculture operations, and opens the door for learning about how ecosystems everywhere are built on sustainability and balance.

And how about plant-based products? There’s a simmering trend that continues to hold promise and grab headlines, but only occupies a small market share and an equally small space in kids’ lunchboxes. Spoonshot says plant-based meat has failed to catch on because it contains too many ingredients, at a time when consumers (such as the caregivers who prepare school lunches) are craving authenticity. Beef producers have jumped on that movement, noting beef has only one ingredient: beef. And chefs rave about its flexibility. So maybe that’s a trend sitting right under our noses.

Some other trends like hot and spicy foods will continue grow as our demographic changes. Their appearance in school lunches may be more cultural than trendy. The classic sandwich swap could introduce these foods to a new generation that doesn’t get them at home… and vice versa.

Kids and parents have access to more information than ever about food, such as its origins, its nutritional value, how it’s produced and the pros and cons of consuming it. That’s probably overwhelming at times and even stressful. Uncomplicate things with staples like fruit and vegetables – always nutritious, never out of style.