A push to provide free meals to all students鈥攔egardless of their family鈥檚 income鈥攊s gaining traction thanks, in part, to a pandemic-era trial run that brought to light the benefits to children鈥檚 well-being and academics.
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued waivers that allowed school districts to offer free meals to all students, no matter their socioeconomic status. Nearly all districts did so, providing universal free meals through the 2021-22 school year. But when those waivers expired over the summer, the pandemic experiment came to an end for most, and charges resumed.
Without the waivers, students and their families are required to pay for their meals if they don鈥檛 qualify for free or reduced-price meals, based on their income. The cost of a meal varies by state, but, on average, is about $2.48 for elementary students and $2.74 for high schoolers, according to the School Nutrition Association.
In the months since, districts across the country have seen ballooning school meal debt, and calls for national efforts to institute a permanent free meal program have intensified. Advocates say the effort eliminated stigma that can come when students can鈥檛 afford meals. They also point out that students are better prepared to learn if their basic needs, like being fed, are taken care of.
鈥淣obody wants to go back to a system where some kids are able to eat and some are not,鈥� said Crystal FitzSimons, director of school and out-of-school time programs for the Food Research & Action Center.
FitzSimons said that even though many families don鈥檛 qualify for free or reduced-price meals, they may still struggle to pay.
Opponents generally say feeding children is their family鈥檚 job, not the schools鈥�. Some also say the effort would lead to an overreliance on the government.
But despite the potential challenges, some states have forged ahead. California, Maine, and Colorado have passed laws to establish universal free meals.
Educators largely support the push for expanded free meals
Educators shared their opinions about universal free meals on EdWeek鈥檚 social media channels. Many would like to follow the lead of states that have established universal free meal programs, but they brought additional nuances to the conversation.
Some, for example, support the intent of free meals, but worry about footing the bill just to have lots of food go to waste.
Here鈥檚 what they had to say, grouped in several themes.
Food waste
While many teachers support the concept and intent of free meals for all, some said they are concerned low-quality meals would deter some students or lead to an increase in food waste.
鈥淚 am [in] favor of 鈥榝ree鈥� school lunches that kids will actually eat. I am a teacher in a low income public school with free lunch for all students. The truly hungry kids will eat their lunch and ask for seconds. A good majority of students throw most of their 鈥榝ree to them鈥� lunch away. Parents, community members, and legislators would be horrified to see the amount of food that is thrown away.鈥�
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鈥淣o. The intention [is] good, but there is so much waste. The kids are forced to fill their trays with an entree, a vegetable, a fruit and milk, wether they eat/drink or not. Most of it goes in the trash. I鈥檝e been the cafeteria lady for a few years.鈥�
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鈥淪ounds great but is not sustainable financially. When we were distance-learning even low income children took their free lunches, pick the things they wanted and threw the rest away鈥�
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鈥淐ompletely in favor! While we鈥檙e at it, these meals should be of quality (I鈥檝e seen waste because the food is barely edible) and students should get a decent lunch time to eat/unwind鈥�
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Importance of nutrition
Teachers recognize that it鈥檚 difficult for students to focus on their schoolwork if their basic needs, like being fed, aren鈥檛 taken care of first.
鈥淵es. 100%. Maslow. If basic needs aren鈥檛 being met, you absolutely cannot expect a child or a person to learn or do what they are expected. If a kid鈥檚 stomach is growling in class due to hunger, you better believe that is what they are thinking about. Plus鈥hy would it ever be a bad thing to feed our kids?鈥�
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鈥淚 definitely support this! When kids don鈥檛 eat properly, they can鈥檛 learn as well. I am grateful that the school lunches where I teach are both tasty, creative, and healthy. ...鈥�
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鈥淵es! And food that adults would actually eat-what they currently serve is so low quality I would rather skip lunch than eat it when I forget my lunch. I realize that nothing is 鈥榝ree鈥�, but feeding kids healthy, enjoyable meals to get them through their day is a priority, way over some other government chosen spending.鈥�
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鈥淵es. We鈥檙e essentially legally requiring students to be in schools. We鈥檙e obligated to give them food if they鈥檙e obligated to be here.鈥�
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Stigma
Denying students access to the same hot meals as their peers because they can鈥檛 afford it can lead to stigma and bullying, educators say. Some families don鈥檛 know how or are unwilling to complete paperwork to qualify for free meals, sometimes due to shame or guilt, or because they must supply a social security number, which can be a deterrent for undocumented parents.
鈥淵es! As a student teacher and a prior Preschool and Pre-K teacher, I have seen students of all different socioeconomic classes walk in starving, without a lunch. I think that if what we hope for is equitability, we should allow all students a free lunch and not ask why.鈥�
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鈥淥f all the worries on the minds of our children, a good meal while in the hands of a safe school system should not be one of them. There can be worry & embarrassment from all sides for Ss (free, reduced, full price) so let鈥檚 just take that away. Free, quality food for all.鈥�
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鈥淎bsolutely!! I taught middle school for 30 years and these kiddos are so self conscious. Giving everyone free lunch removes the economic stigma.鈥�
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鈥淒efinitely, I鈥檝e had too many ELLs who definitely qualified for free lunch, but were too confused or unwilling to answer the questions on the application鈥�
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Displaced obligation
Educators witness firsthand how hunger affects students鈥� academic and behavioral performance. Many said they stock their classrooms with snacks鈥攐n their own dimes鈥攐r pay for students鈥� meals to ensure none of their students go without food.
鈥淵es because I鈥檝e had to tell a hungry child they could only grab an apple and some milk or pay for their lunch myself and it is not fair to the child or to the teachers that care for them every day to be put in that position.鈥�
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鈥淵es! Yes! Yes! Breakfast and lunch! After working at schools that had free lunches for all, then moving to a school district that did not, I found more kids hungry and I ended up stocking snacks (cereal bars, etc) in my room for students. So many came to school hungry.鈥�
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鈥淕ood lord, yes. I keep cases of food (mostly bars) in my room. We all have enough problems. Enough to eat should not be one.鈥�
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鈥淵ES Lots of my kids who don鈥檛 qualify can鈥檛 afford. I spend lots of money on snacks every week.鈥�
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鈥淚 have a hard time imagining why any teacher wouldn鈥檛 support having food available for free for any student who needs it. Most of us have been providing students with food on our own; it鈥檚 nice to see that issue recognized and resolution coming from the larger system instead of from what we work for to feed our own families.鈥�
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Breakfast
Some educators argue that free school meals for all students shouldn鈥檛 stop at lunch, either.
鈥淵es, yes, & yes!!! Schools need to feed all children free breakfast and lunch! There are parents whose gross income looks great on paper but net income with 3 or more children will add another bill that is not needed. Let鈥檚 help our families not have to worry about trying to fix breakfast and lunches or make sure their children have money to eat at school. ...鈥�
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鈥淔ree lunch and free breakfast - and then if a kid is still hungry allow them back into the line. Child hunger is real. Btw I agree w quality food too. And no shaming in the line!鈥�
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鈥淚鈥檓 for lunch and breakfast. Everything else aside what is best for the kids.鈥�
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鈥淎bsolutely yes. Free breakfast and lunches helped ALL kids and families. When kids have access to free meals, they learn better and feel better.鈥�
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#TeachersLoveFrenchToastSticksToo
Students aren鈥檛 the only people in the school building who would benefit from free school meals, these educators say.
鈥淵es! But also free breakfast for teachers! #TeachersLoveFrenchToastSticksToo鈥�
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鈥淚鈥檇 like the teachers to get free lunch too. Just saying. Yes鈥攆eed the kids鈥�
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鈥淵es, 100%. I think teachers should get free lunch too.鈥�
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Opposition
Not all educators take the pro-free lunch view. Opponents weighed in, too.
鈥淣o, I鈥檓 not. I鈥檓 a parent and a teacher. It is my responsibility to feed my kids. It is not my responsibility to feed other people鈥檚 kids. Screw that. There is no such thing as a 鈥榝ree鈥� lunch. Somebody, somewhere, is paying for it - the other students.鈥�
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鈥淭he $ for this will have to come from somewhere, if it takes teacher鈥檚 salaries then I鈥檓 in favor of only low-income based free lunch and keeping the wealthiest families paying, however I think there could be some funds for times when even they struggle/forget.鈥�
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鈥淣ot really. Unnecessary cost for some schools and some school districts. #Food is hard but this is not a good solution.鈥�
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鈥淣o. When I went to school mom made me a sandwich. We paid 25 cents a week for milk. We ate in our classroom (elementary school) for 30 minutes then 30 minute recess. We didn鈥檛 have a cafeteria. PARENTS were responsible for providing lunch. Many parents on food stamps. Use them鈥�
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鈥淣o. Most students do not need or would qualify for a free lunch. Relying on the government for food has never worked out at any point in history.鈥�
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