OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this qualitative study was to reveal the expertise of educators and dieticians on food and nutrition education in the school environment. METHODS: This study used a qualitative approach developed jointly by the Department of Education of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and a school in that state. The participants were seven teaching technicians, eight teachers, and thirteen dieticians. The information was collected by interview and submitted to thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Six themes emerged from the participants' statements: food and nutrition education as a guideline for eating correctly; the purpose of food and nutrition education as an instrument for promoting healthy eating habits; the school as a promoter and empowering environment for food and nutrition education; food and nutrition education as a pedagogical practice focused on the reality of students' eating habits; school agents' assignments and partnerships for food and nutrition education; lack of knowledge in the practice of food and nutrition education. CONCLUSION: The participants' knowledge on food and nutrition education is dichotomous, at times permeated by biological aspects, at other times by the social context. Although there are gaps in the knowledge of the subject, educators and dieticians consider themselves partners for the provision of food and nutrition education in school.