Media Contact:
Jordan Baker jbaker@frac.org202-640-1118
WASHINGTON, March 21, 2024 — School meals are an important tool for combatting childhood food insecurity, yet a report released today by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) reveals that far too many children missed out on the nutrition they need for their health and learning with the expiration of the pandemic-era nationwide waivers that allowed schools to offer school meals to all students at no charge.
The Reach of School Breakfast and Lunch During the 2022–2023 School Year shows that just over 14.3 million children participated in school breakfast in the 2022–2023 school year, a decrease of nearly 1.2 million children (7.7 percent) compared to the 2021–2022 school year. Just over 28.1 million children participated in school lunch in the 2022–2023 school year, a decrease of nearly 1.8 million (6 percent) compared to the 2021–2022 school year. The gap between school breakfast and lunch participation increased, with only 50.9 students participating in breakfast for every 100 who participated in lunch.
“School breakfast and lunch should be reaching more students in every state. The advancement of Healthy School Meals for All, combined with proven best practices for increasing school breakfast participation, is the path forward to ensuring that all children have access to the nutritious school meals they need to learn and thrive,” said FRAC President Luis Guardia.
The states that grew school meals participation last year have enacted Healthy School Meals for All policies or significantly leveraged community eligibility, a program allowing high-need schools to offer school breakfast and lunch to all students at no charge. Without continued progress toward Healthy School Meals for All, breakfast and lunch participation would have fallen even further.
The return to normal school meal operations, and its impact on participation, highlight the need for policymakers, advocates, and schools to bolster efforts and recommit to ensuring that every child has access to school breakfasts and lunches.
FRAC urges Congress to advance federal legislation that encourages the expansion of Healthy School Meals for All, including the Universal School Meals Program Act, which would allow all schools to offer meals to their students at no charge, the School Meals Expansion Act, the No Hungry Kids in School Act, and the Expanding Access to School Meals Act.
States can enact Healthy School Meals for All policies and increase the number of schools implementing community eligibility. Combining innovative school breakfast models with efforts to offer meals to all students at no charge will help ensure that children have the fuel they need to learn in school.
Read The Reach of School Breakfast and Lunch During the 2022–2023 School Year report.
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The Food Research & Action Center improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
