Public meals are central to building sustainable food systems, but translating political ambitions into daily practices often reveals a policy-practice gap. This thesis investigates how sustainability goals for Swedish school meals are defined and monitored, and how kitchen managers implement them in their daily work. Using a combination of the COM-B model and Social Practice Theory (SPT), the study analyzes the relationship between strategic mandates and kitchen realities. A multiple-case study design was used to examine four municipal and regional contexts in central Sweden through document analysis and eleven semi-structured interviews with strategic coordinators and kitchen managers.

The findings show that quantitative targets for climate impact, organic food, and food waste are prioritized and monitored through digital dashboards, while qualitative goals like local food sourcing lack clear tracking systems. Kitchen managers demonstrate high professional motivation and strong culinary skills. They use creative strategies, such as modifying recipes and adapting menus, to meet carbon targets while maintaining student satisfaction. However, the study concludes that the primary barrier to the green transition is a lack of organizational and material opportunity. Implementation is constrained by rigid procurement rules (LOU), fixed budgets that do not cover the higher costs of organic ingredients, and a lack of support from school leadership. When school meals are treated as peripheral rather than a pedagogical tool, kitchen managers are left isolated to handle the social resistance from students and parents. For the school meal to successfully drive the green transition, sustainability must be integrated into the school's leadership, supported by procurement frameworks and budgets that allow for local professional agency.