diff --git a/parentcalendar/app.py b/parentcalendar/app.py
index 5016472..bb382fe 100644
--- a/parentcalendar/app.py
+++ b/parentcalendar/app.py
@@ -476,8 +476,9 @@ class MenuItemIn(BaseModel):
 
 @app.patch("/api/menu_items/{item_id}")
 def edit_menu_item(item_id: int, body: MenuItemIn, conn: DB):
-    """Fix a misread menu day, in review or later."""
-    items = [] if body.no_lunch else [i.strip() for i in body.items if i.strip()]
+    """Fix a misread menu day, in review or after publishing: menus never reach a calendar file, so the
+    lunch screen shows the change right away. The food is kept when no_lunch is set, so unticking it brings it back."""
+    items = [i.strip() for i in body.items if i.strip()]
     with conn:
         found(conn.execute("UPDATE menu_item SET items = ?, no_lunch = ?, flags = '[]' WHERE id = ? RETURNING id",
                            (json.dumps(items), body.no_lunch, item_id)).fetchone(), "menu item")