Over the years, school lunches have gotten a bad rap. In many cases, it’s well deserved. After all, sloppy Joes, French fries and spaghetti hardly qualify as healthy dining, particularly when they are served five days a week. However, despite numerous complaints lodged by students, parents and even teachers, few schools actually go about making their menus presentable.

But here in Beijing, a handful of international schools are changing the way we perceive cafeteria lunches by giving their menus a big makeover. And the results have been—dare we say it—rather gourmet.

Billy Kawaja, founder of Culinary Capers and Switch restaurant, is currently working with several Beijing schools (unfortunately, we can't tell you which ones) to revamp their lunches. “We were approached by many private schools, but the circumstances weren’t right,” Kawaja reveals. “There were issues regarding cost versus quality, and we weren’t prepared to lower our standards just to get a contract.” Kawaja’s cautiousness ended up paying off, and he now works with schools that he feels are on the same page.

To determine which qualities make a good lunch, Kawaja sought the help of nutritionists. “We may not be able to control what kids eat outside of school—and, in fact, it’s really none of our business—but we can ensure that students get the energy they need to perform well at school for the entire day,” he says. Arising out of his dedicated efforts have been daily menus that incorporate all the major food groups, and meals that include soup, legumes, fresh fruit and yoghurt.

Meanwhile, at The International Montessori School of Beijing, communications director Isabelle Meyers has been working with the Lido hotel to provide the school's children with high quality lunches. “We try and provide balanced meals which include all the nutritional elements a child needs,” she says. “There are always vegetables, a dairy product, proteins and carbohydrates.”

Joining her in creating the menu and coming up with new and interesting recipes is Ingrid Zhou, the head of operations at MSB. In December, they added turkey with gravy and cranberry sauce to the menu, and in the past they have included lamb kebab burritos, minced chicken and rice, and sweet and sour chicken.

But is ensuring basic nutrition enough, or should schools also be helping kids watch their calories? “No child should ever really have to watch his or her weight,” says Meyers. “Of course, if they eat nothing but pizzas and biscuits, weight gain is inevitable. However, as long as children eat proper meals and stay active, it shouldn’t be an issue. This is why we encourage our children to finish off their greens first before loading up on carbohydrates."

Nutrition aside, the other main concerns regarding lunches are allergies and faith. “It certainly would be easier if we didn’t have to take these into consideration, as doing so excludes quite a few ingredients, but these are issues that every school must deal with,” admits Meyers. “We don't feature dishes with nuts and we only offer a pork main course once a week. Our parents know our menus well in advance, and can prepare packed lunches for those days.”

Another big challenge, Kawaja says, is getting children engaged in their food. “We cater to 3- to 7-year-olds, and it can be real tough to get them to sit down and eat,” he explains. “But, there’s a saying: ‘You eat with your eyes first.’” In other words, even with children, food presentation is key. For that reason, Kawaja has taken to serving a menagerie of animal-shaped vegetables to encourage children to eat their greens along with everything else on their plates.

Of course, food is more than just nutrition. It’s also about flavor. Children are notoriously picky eaters, meaning it’s virtually impossible to guarantee that every child will be happy with the food du jour. To help ensure that the dishes at MSB will be well received, Meyers ensures that none of the dishes are too spicy and requires that all new recipes first pass a taste test before being served to children. Whether they are served again depends on children's reactions.

With people like Kawaja and Meyers leading the way, it looks as though school lunches may be experiencing a significant improvement in their reputation, to the point that parents may soon be wanting in on their kids’ lunchtime experience.