Tempe Elementary Schools Recognized Among America’s Healthiest

If you look inside a cafeteria in a Tempe Elementary school, you’ll find students doing more than simply eating lunch. They’re helping shape it.

The District’s student-centered approach turns food into an educational tool through taste tests, fresh fruits and vegetables sampled in classrooms, and menus inspired by cultures around the world. 

That approach and overall commitment to student health has earned national recognition for creating healthier environments where children can learn, grow, and free their boundless potential.

Alliance for a Healthier Generation named Tempe Elementary to its 2026 list of America’s Healthiest Schools, joining 1,376 schools in 35 states recognized for advancing the health and well-being of students, staff, and families.

“We believe that we're partners in our students' education,” said Janay Watts, Director of Nutrition Services. “We believe that food can be used as an educational tool, that we should have more than a transactional relationship with our students.”

That philosophy can be seen across Tempe Elementary. Student feedback and taste testing develop the District menus, giving students a voice in the food served at their schools. Fresh fruits and vegetables are brought directly into classrooms, giving students opportunities to discover healthy foods they may not have experienced before.

This school year, students are also exploring the world through food. Each month, menus feature items inspired by different regions and cultures, introducing new flavors and ingredients to cafeterias across the District.

“The students are the ones making the decisions. We've seen an increase in our participation directly because our students are involved in the menu planning process,” Watts said. “We let them know they have the power to control what's on the menu.”

America’s Healthiest Schools recognizes schools for practices supporting whole-child health, from nutrition and physical activity to social-emotional health, staff well-being, and family engagement.

For Tempe Elementary, those efforts all connect back to helping students arrive at school healthy, supported, and ready to learn.

Student nutrition has been linked in studies to academic achievement for years. The Center for Disease Control found that compared to students with lower grades, students with higher grades are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables one or more times per day.

In a CDC survey, 66 percent of students with mostly A’s ate vegetables during the day, compared to 52 percent with mostly D’s and F’s. In the same survey, 62 percent with mostly A’s ate fruit or drank 100 percent fruit juices one or more times per day, compared to 54 percent with D’s and F’s. 

“If a student is not nourished, it's impossible for them to learn,” Watts said. “That’s why we're here, to support student learning. It's not just throwing things on the menu, it’s about being intentional about what we do.”

While the national recognition is a celebration of the work the District has done, Watts also sees it as an opportunity to continue building school environments where healthy students can thrive as confident learners

“When I think about a healthy school district, it’s when our students have everything they need to be successful,” Watts said. “It’s when they have everything they need to maximize their talents. It isn't just about what they eat, but building an environment that supports total health.”

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This recognition reflects Tempe Elementary Schools’ commitment to strengthening specialized programs, as outlined in Goal 3.3 of the Strategic Plan.

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About Tempe Elementary Nutrition Services
Tempe Elementary Nutrition Services is proud to support your child's education by offering nutritious and delicious meals to students each and every day. Breakfast and lunch menus are available on our website. Learn more about Nutrition Services.