Toward an integration model for sustainable school meals: a comparative policy review of five European countries

School food policies are increasingly recognized as strategic public health interventions that contribute not only to child nutrition but also to environmental sustainability and social resilience. Due to differences in legal frameworks, supply systems, and socio-cultural contexts, European countries have adopted various governance approaches to sustainable school meals. This study aims to comparatively examine how school-based sustainable nutrition policies are structured in five European countries with high SDGs Index scores and to develop an integrated policy framework linking governance, procurement, education, and local practice.

A systematic comparative policy review was conducted using the SALSA (Search, Evaluate, Synthesis, Analyze) framework and reported using an adapted PRISMA-style flowchart. Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and France were selected because of their ranking as the top five countries in the 2024 Sustainable Development Goals Index and the analytical diversity they offer across welfare-based, supply-oriented, decentralized, and legally mandated governance models. The literature search covered academic and grey literature published between January 2008 and February 2026. Of the 248 records identified, 54 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed through thematic content analysis and matrix-based comparative synthesis across four dimensions: governance and legal frameworks, supply and supply chain structures, education integration, and local cooperation.

Five countries adopted different governance models: France used binding legislation; Finland and Sweden relied on welfare-based national guidance; Denmark prioritized municipal procurement; and Germany followed a decentralized federal approach. Organic procurement, plant-based menus, and food waste reduction were common priorities, but implementation varied depending on legal authority, municipal capacity, and local production. Educational integration and local cooperation were common, but formalized unevenly.

Based on this synthesis, we propose an Integration Model for Sustainable School Meals comprising four interconnected areas: policy and governance, sustainable procurement and supply chains, educational integration, and local implementation and monitoring. The findings treat school meals as an interconnected policy ecosystem where governance, procurement, training, and implementation capacity shape public health, environmental, and educational outcomes. Because the model is based on secondary and documentary evidence, it should be viewed as a comparative policy framework rather than a causal assessment of effectiveness.