Why Nutrition

Why Nutrition?

School nutrition facilitates a child’s ability to learn and supports their promise of reaching the full potential as adults. Less than 50% of children who start school in Grade 1 in South Africa make it through Grade 12. Poor education drives the high unemployment rate, which is between 40% and 70% for those who have not completed high school.

Hunger, poverty and lack of access to effective education means that millions of caregivers are unable to provide for their children’s healthy development and education. Around 12 million children in South Africa live below the poverty line, and 4.4 million households in South Africa do not have frequent, reliable access to food.

A guaranteed meal served at school incentivizes impoverished caregivers to send their children to school. It enables children to develop, grow and learn in a safe and stimulating environment, and prepares them to receive a formal education. When a child stays in school, their ability to generate future income and build a sustainable livelihood is increased. Through interactions with teachers, fellow-students and food preparers, the child also stays connected, cared for and involved.

See References

Where we work

33%

of SA children under 6 live below the food poverty line

80%

of the poorest children have no access to educare

90%

of children in the poorest schools present as school unready in Grade One

50%

of children who start Grade One never finish school

Nutritional Deficiencies

Malnutrition means more than stunting, wasting or being underweight. It can mean obesity and micronutrient (such as vitamin and mineral) deficiencies as well.

Increasingly we are seeing food high in sugars, processed carbohydrates and fats, but low in micro-nutrients, becoming more affordable and available. The consumption of these ‘globalised’ foods among the poor is resulting in overweight and obesity occurring alongside stunting. Micronutrient deficiencies can occur in children who are not necessarily hungry, but whose diets are of low nutrient quality, or which lack dietary diversity. This is often referred to as a ‘hidden hunger’ and can have serious impacts on education and health by reducing children’s learning ability, impairing development, and reducing immunity.

Our programme is designed to offer a school meal high in protein and fortified with micronutrients to combat all aspects of malnutrition.

What do we serve?

Schools on our Breakfast Programme receive a protein rich, micronutrient fortified Porridge in Vanilla and Wholewheat flavours. Porridge is prepared using freshly boiled water making it ideal in small playgroups settings or in schools with no kitchen infrastructure.

For Lunch we provide a plant based pantry of nutritionally fortified foods that are delicious and familiar to the children. Ingredients are combined in a variety of ways to create a diverse menu. Peanut Butter is provided to schools that have access to fresh bread. Each lunch meal is accompanied by a vitamin and mineral infused drink.

Schools are required to add fresh seasonal, locally sourced vegetables* to lunch meals at least three times per week. Lunchbox Fund’s NutriBright Soya Mince, Porridge, Maize Meal, VitaDrink and VitaMilk are enriched with a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

Our menu has been externally reviewed by the Nutrition Information Centre at the University of Stellenbosch.

Baked Beans

Biryani

Maize Meal

Peanut Butter

Porridge

Rice & Lentils

Samp & Beans

Soup Mix

Soya Mince

Spices

Split Green Peas

Sunflower Oil

Tomatoes

Vegetables*

VitaDrink & VitaMilk

Wholewheat Macaroni

Food Safety Audits

Lunchbox Fund’s food supplier, Sizani Foods, undergoes a rigorous International Standard audit of their production facility and warehouse each year. In 2025 they received a 99% food safety and production rating, putting them at the top of the ranking in South Africa. (Certificate linked here). In addition, Lunchbox Fund commissions quarterly independent audits of the factory and warehouse to ensure that our menu items are consistently food-safe and hygienically stored (linked here).

Food safety audits ensure that food businesses comply with relevant regulations and standards set by food safety authorities. Compliance with these requirements is not only a legal obligation but also serves to maintain public trust and confidence in the food industry.

Lunchbox Fund’s food program is 90% plant based. Only exception is powdered milk, contained in VitaMilk and Breakfast Porridge. This milk is temperature stable to 28degrees, has a year shelf-life: and as we deliver once per month, is never in the school longer than 30 days. We provide 500g bags to pre-schools and bulk sacks (10kg) into high-use environments like Primary and Secondary Schools. Nutrition program supervisors and Food Handlers are taught how to secure open bags to prevent contamination.

Before schools are accepted to the program, Lunchbox Fund checks that the school has a suitable store-room/cupboards that are secured against insects and vermin etc. Schools are monitored once per term to ensure they are maintaining storage and prep standards and do not add any meat or poultry products to their meals. Any school found to be breaking this part of our Memorandum of Understanding, is immediately removed from the program.

Download the International Standards Certificate

Download our most recent Quarterly Audit Report