Welcome to Local Lunchbox
Rethinking how USDA funding is used to bring delicious, locally-made, culturally-familiar meals to kids year-round.
Want to improve your school’s food? We have tips and information to help families and faculty get started making a difference.
School Food 101
You can help bring healthy, local meals to kids in your community by partnering with us as a financial sponsor, meal vendor, or meal distribution site.
Partner With Us
About Local Lunchbox
Local Lunchbox was born in Chelsea, MA, in June 2020 in response to a deepening need for meals. With schools closed and kids unable to access the food they relied on, connecting local restaurants to cook for kids was a natural fit. The program launched at one site with 200 meals distributed on the first day of service, and it was a big hit with families – and local businesses!
Over the past two years, Local Lunchbox has expanded across Massachusetts and Chicago and is operated year-round by a network of local food businesses, community organizations, and schools. Local Lunchbox can operate under any USDA child nutrition program, in any community. As of today, Local Lunchbox has served over five million meals to children and teens.
My Way Café
My Way Café is an early example of Local Lunchbox in Boston. Prior to My Way Café, the majority of Boston’s 125 public schools were serving pre-packaged meals that were delivered frozen and reheated in warming ovens on site. Between 2017-2021, Boston transitioned all of its schools to a scratch cooking model and installed finishing kitchens in schools without cooking equipment.