Momentum Builds for Healthy School Meals for All
It’s Back-to-School time, which means it’s time to raise your hand for Healthy School Meals for All!
More and more states are providing free school meals to all children, no matter their household income. But our work is far from over. We need Healthy School Meals for All nationwide so that every child in every state has the nutrition they need to learn and thrive. Urge your Members of Congress to act today. Hungry children can’t wait.
Community Eligibility Provision: A Pathway to Healthy School Meals for All
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) allows high-poverty schools and districts to provide breakfast and lunch at no charge to all students. Participation in community eligibility increases school meal participation and eliminates stigma in the cafeteria. It’s a win for everyone — administrators, students, families, and school nutrition staff.
Take Action: Urge your Members of Congress to expand CEP.
School and Afterschool Meals Fuel Student Health and Learning
Did you know research shows that school meals are incredibly important for students, especially students from households with low incomes? Learn more in our fact sheet.
School Meals and Afterschool Meals
- School breakfast helps children across the country start the day ready to learn. Just over 14.3 million children participated in the School Breakfast Program on an average school day during the 2022–2023 school year, and of those, 11.3 million received breakfast at no charge or a reduced price.
- The National School Lunch Program is the nation’s second largest food assistance program, only behind the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Over 28 million children received a healthy and nutritious school lunch on an average school day in the 2022–2023 school year, with 19.7 million receiving lunch at no charge or a reduced price.
- Hunger doesn’t end when the school day does. Through the Afterschool Nutrition Programs, schools, local governments, and nonprofits provide meals and snacks to children after school, on weekends, and during school holidays. Over 1.15 million children received an afterschool supper on an average day in October 2022.
SNAP Out College Hunger
Barriers to Brighter Futures
It’s hard to hit the books when you’re hungry. SNAP is the nation’s first line of defense against hunger. Yet, for many college students, maintaining eligibility is difficult. The current SNAP eligibility rules for college students regarding work study or employment are counterproductive at a time when students are trying to improve their financial well-being by earning a degree.
The Enhance Access to SNAP Act (H.R. 3183/S. 1488) would eliminate participation barriers for college students.
Take Action: Use the FRAC Action Network to urge your Members of Congress to support this critical legislation.
Spread the Word: Share FRAC Chat Blogs
Massachusetts Secretary of Education: Healthy School Meals for All Has Made Positive Change
“As a former teacher, principal, and superintendent, I have seen firsthand the impact consistent access to food has on a student’s educational outcomes and opportunities. Students cannot learn or play when their hierarchy of needs is not met — when they do not have food to eat.“
“Although it will take years to understand the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and their families, the end of the pandemic-era waivers that allowed schools to offer meals to all children at no charge had an immediate impact on school meal participation during the 2022–2023 school year.”
Report Underscores Success of Healthy School Meals for All Policies
“Five states had Healthy School Meals for All policies in place during the 2022-2023 school year and the Food Research & Action Center’s (FRAC) new report, The State of Healthy School Meals for All: California, Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada and Vermont Lead the Way, highlights the positive impact they had on students and school nutrition departments.”
