National Take Your Parents To Lunch Day
Take your parents to school (or go to your kid’s school) to see what food is available, and help make changes for healthier, higher quality food in schools.
Drive foot traffic and family dining occasions by positioning restaurants and schools as venues for intergenerational connection and quality time on a mid-week family celebration.
- School cafeteria takeovers: invite parents to see what kids eat daily and advocate for menu improvements
- Senior dining discounts: partner with casual dining chains (Applebee's, Chili's, IHOP) to offer special promotions for parent-child lunch outings
- Homeschool lunch swap: position the day as an opportunity for kids to cook for parents, tying in meal-kit or cooking education brands
- Community service angle: promote volunteering at senior centers as an alternative way to celebrate intergenerational connection
School lunches in the United States have a history that dates back to the early 1900s. And in 1946, President Harry Truman signed the National School Lunch Act to make sure children had access to nutritional meals and healthy diets.
But it was quite a few years before National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day came around! The day seems to have first been celebrated in 2013 when it was established by Kiwi Magazine, scheduled to take place on a Wednesday, creating a nice little break in the middle of the week.
The purpose of Take Your Parents to Lunch Day may not be as much for parents to have an enjoyable lunch at the school canteen, but rather to give them a rare chance to get a real look at what is going on in the school kitchen as well as an insight into what their children are eating when out of their hands every day.
That’s why National Take Your Parents To Lunch Day is so great and should be encouraged! It’s a way for parents to give their opinions and help improve the system and make the food options as healthy as possible.
But, of course, the celebration of this day isn’t just limited to children who are in school. People of any age can take an opportunity to observe and enjoy this day. After all, how many lunches have parents bought for their children? Perhaps it’s time to change the story and let the kids take their moms and dads out to lunch!
Join the Kids for a School Lunch
National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day offers a perfect opportunity for kids to be able to show off their school cafeteria and enjoy lunch with their friends. Maybe it’s pizza day at the hot lunch counter, or for a family who packs their lunch perhaps it’s a day for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! No matter what is on the menu, the most important thing about this day is enjoying time together over a meal. It may be important for certain parents to check with the school to make sure they are aware that adults will be joining their kids for their lunch on this day! Families who do homeschool, online school or some other alternative type of education might want to make a big deal out of the day. Get creative with ways to make it fun by allowing the children to make lunch for the parents on this day, instead of the other way around.
Take Your Parents to Lunch
Those who don’t have children in school might want to consider celebrating the day by inviting a parent to have a meal together on Take Your Parents to Lunch Day. Perhaps take an aging parent out to their favorite place with a discount for senior citizens, including national restaurant chains like Applebee’s, Chili’s or IHOP. Or for those who don’t have a living parent nearby who they can take out, maybe this day would be a good time to invite an older neighbor out for lunch, or even to volunteer at a senior citizen’s center.