Free School Meals Extended to Children in Eight States, Push for Federal Policy Continues

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When the new school year begins after Labor Day, Amber Lightfeather can rest easy knowing that her children’s meals at school are covered at no cost to her family.

States such as Minnesota, New Mexico, Colorado, Vermont, Michigan, and Massachusetts have enacted policies to provide free school breakfasts and lunches to all students, commencing this academic term. They join California and Maine, which had already made such provisions. There is ongoing deliberation in other states to adopt similar policies, and advocates in Congress are pushing to make free meals available to children across the United States.

Residing in Duluth, Minnesota, Lightfeather is a mother of four children who attend public schools. Despite occasionally qualifying for free or subsidized meals in the past, her family would have been required to pay for the meals in the upcoming academic year without this legislative change. Their combined income as a hospital worker and a tribal employee would have exceeded the financial threshold. Last year, they incurred expenses exceeding $260 a month on school meals for their four children, who range in age from 10 to 17.

Lightfeather felt passionately about the issue, which led her to testify in favor of Minnesota’s school meal legislation last winter. Emotional at its passage, she emphasized that her advocacy was not just for her own children but for all students who could benefit.

Throughout the pandemic, schools across the nation had offered free meals, experiencing a surge in participation. However, this provision ended in Spring 2022 when federal funding ceased, and the majority of states reverted to offering free or discounted meals only to those students who met specific income criteria. This led to several issues, including the stigmatization of qualifying families and the accumulation of school meal debt.

Emily Honer, director of nutrition programs for the Minnesota Department of Education, pointed out the importance of nutrition for academic performance. “Eliminating the worry over the next meal can dramatically improve a student’s ability to learn,” she said.

In New Mexico, the law had an immediate impact. The first week of the school year saw a daily increase of 1,000 students participating in both breakfast and lunch programs. Lorraine Martinez, a secretary at Lowell Elementary in Albuquerque, noted that some students had previously experienced physical discomfort due to lack of food. “The new policy ensures adequate nutrition for all,” Martinez stated.

The cost of school meals remains a financial burden for many families in other states. Annette Nielsen, executive director of the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center, stated that annual school meal costs can amount to $1,500 per student.

Despite opposition from some quarters, Minnesota’s Legislature has allocated more than $440 million for the first two years of the free meal program. Stacy Koppen, director of nutrition services for St. Paul Public Schools, noted that 60 schools in her district would be offering universal meals this year, a significant increase from last year.

Superintendent David Law of the affluent Minnetonka district in suburban Minneapolis emphasized that the law is beneficial for all income levels and also enhances job attractiveness in school cafeterias due to additional hours, thereby improving the quality of meals.

Advocacy for extending free meals nationwide is growing stronger. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar have reintroduced legislation to provide universal free meals across states, setting the stage for what many hope will eventually become national policy.

“While it’s commendable that eight states have taken the lead, the goal is a nationwide policy that benefits all children,” said Alexis Bylander, senior policy analyst for the nonprofit Food Research & Action Center in Washington, D.C.

Report by Susan Montoya Bryan, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Free School Meals

More about Free School Meals

• Federal Legislation on School Meals
• Minnesota Department of Education Nutrition Programs
• Impact of Free School Meals on Educational Outcomes
• Food Research & Action Center
• Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center
• Statistics on School Meal Debt
• Albuquerque Public Schools Nutrition Services
• U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Bill on Universal Free Meals
• U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Legislative Efforts
• St. Paul Public Schools Nutrition Services