Quasi-experimental study, conducted during 2019 with students from 4th to 9th grade of three public schools in the rural area of Sumidouro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: i) control group, ii) experimental group 1 (environmental modifications and addition of a self-service system) and iii) experimental group 2 (environmental modifications, addition of a self-service system and new culinary preparations in the menu based on gastronomic techniques). The weekly frequency of school meals consumption was assessed by a question included in a self-completed questionnaire applied at three moments (baseline, 1st follow-up [after 5 months of intervention] and 2nd follow-up [after 8 months of intervention]). Those students who reported frequency ≥3 times a week were considered adherent to school meals. The variation rate in adherence to school meals in each school was evaluated via generalized linear models.