A Growing Movement for Growing Kids: Universal Free School Meals

Julia D'Ambrosio, MPH

​Families with school aged children are probably familiar with the hecticness that accompanies a morning before school: waking up early, getting the kids showered and dressed, zipping up book reports and last night’s homework into backpacks, and squeezing in 10 minutes for breakfast before racing out the door to catch the bus. Thankfully, preparing breakfast and lunch are two tasks that parents no longer have to worry about each morning. With universal school meals, every child who wants or needs a school lunch or breakfast can receive those meals at no cost to their family. 

​In August 2023, Governor Healy and the Massachusetts Legislature made a monumental decision to make School Meals for All in Massachusetts permanent. Massachusetts is the 8th state to implement universal school meals, joining California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Vermont. Additionally, 28 other states are currently working to expand free school meal legislation in the near future. This program covers the cost of one lunch and breakfast, including fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, as per the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs.

During the pandemic, food insecurity reached the highest level in decades, amplifying the need for stable sources of nutritious meals for children. In October 2020, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reported that every day, 14 million children were going hungry, and the percentage of U.S. households with children experiencing food insecurity doubled. But even with the pandemic behind us, the number of children living in food insecure households has not changed. In a report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in September 2024, it was reported that 13.5% of households in the U.S. were food insecure at least some time during 2023, including 14 million children – an increase of 1 million children from 2022.

States like Massachusetts are recognizing the protection that universal school meals can provide from the harmful and potentially long-lasting consequences of poor nutrition and unstable food sources. Studies show that children facing food insecurity have difficulty concentrating, decreased academic performance, increased behavioral issues, and increased illness. Additionally, food insecurity in children is associated with obesity, poor social functioning, and increased mental health issues.

In the 2022-2023 school year—the first year of state-funded universal school meals in Massachusetts—the state served 12.2 million more lunches than in the 2018-2019 school year. Additionally, 61,500 more students were served lunch at school every day. Research shows that participation in school meals improves academic achievement, attendance, and school behavior. Participation in school meals also provides nutritional and health benefits for children such as increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and milk, and even reduced visits to the school nurse.
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When students participate in their school’s meal program, everyone benefits. Parents save time and money from having to prepare meals for their kids, schools receive additional revenue from the state to invest in their meal programs, and students can enjoy healthy and nutritious meals together while breaking down the stigma of participating in reduced meal programs.