日本實施學校給食制度已有相當之歷史，惟遲至1954年始正式制定「學校給食法」，迄今已歷經12次之修正。日本之學校給食法明定實施學校營養午餐之立法目的、目標、實施對象、相關政府機關及學校之法定任務、學校實施提供飲食之必要設施、對於營養管理者之要求及對兒童或學生之飲食指導、相關費用之負擔、授權行政機關制定相關必要之程序性、技術性事項，並針對學校給食會制定「學校給食會法」，堪稱為先進的制度。我國許多國民教育學校或許有開辦營養午餐之經驗，惟礙於中央未制定營養午餐之專法及建立相關配套制度，再加上國家財政資源之分配不均，致使是否開辦營養午餐及實施營養午餐之品質各地不一。

Abstract Lunch policy of Japan school was proclaimed to be “school lunch law” in 1954, which has been revised 12 times until today. Japan school lunch law covers facilities, student food guide, price, health conditions, the responsibility of administrators, and so on. That makes the school lunch policy running smoothly. Due to a lack of a certain law regulating school lunch, Taiwanese policy of school lunch seems to be unequally applied to schools. The effect of this policy is depending on the financial, demographical conditions, and local authorities support. An unequal distribution would affect the quality of lunch, as seen in many different schools.