New Research Confirms Free School Meals Boost Participation Wellness & Learning

New research from the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) underscores what advocates have long maintained: offering school meals to all students at no charge significantly boosts participation in school breakfast and lunch programs, while also supporting student health and academic achievement.

Released today, The Reach of School Breakfast and Lunch During the 2023–2024 School Year highlights a notable rise in student participation, driven largely by expanded adoption of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and a growing wave of state level Healthy School Meals for All (HSMFA) policies. Compared to the previous year, nearly 1.1 million more children – a 7.4 percent increase – took part in school breakfast programs, bringing the total to nearly 15.4 million. Similarly, almost 29.4 million students participated in school lunch programs, an increase of 1.2 million children, or 4.4 percent, over the prior year.

FRAC’s interim president, Crystal FitzSimons, emphasized the profound importance of these findings. “More students participate in school breakfast and school lunch when meals are available at no charge. Healthy School Meals for All policies ensure every child has access to the nutrition they need to learn and thrive,” she said. FitzSimons also called for additional strategies to sustain and grow participation, such as ensuring students have adequate time to eat and promoting innovative service models like breakfast in the classroom.

The report highlights how offering meals free to all students not only drives participation but also brings collateral benefits: it reduces administrative burdens on school nutrition departments, eliminates school meal debt, minimizes stigma associated with free and reduced-price meals, and fosters creative models for service delivery. The shift toward universal free meals has created fertile ground for breakfast innovations – from grab and go kiosks to meals served during the first class of the day – helping to meet students where they are.

Importantly, participation among students from households with low incomes rose sharply: free and reduced-price school breakfast participation grew by 8 percent, while school lunch participation increased by 6.8 percent over the previous year. These gains come at a crucial time, as school breakfast is proven to support stronger academic outcomes, improve concentration, and enhance standardized test performance. Moreover, daily access to nutritious meals helps reduce food insecurity and guards against diet related health issues that disproportionately impact children from low income families.

Yet despite these strides, FRAC’s data reveals that participation remains uneven nationwide. Only New Mexico, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia achieved the organization’s ambitious benchmark of reaching 70 low income students with school breakfast for every 100 participating in school lunch. In the 48 states that fell short, approximately 2.5 million additional children could have started their school days with a healthy breakfast if the goal had been met – a missed opportunity that left nearly $754 million in federal funding unclaimed during the 2023–2024 school year.

“There is a lot to celebrate with the growth in breakfast and lunch participation, but we still have a long way to go,” FitzSimons acknowledged. “Participation by students from households with low incomes is still below pre-pandemic levels, and students all over the country are still missing out on the benefit of free school meals. Being well-fed is critical to students’ health and learning.”

FRAC is now calling on policymakers at both the federal and state levels to seize this momentum. At the federal level, the organization urges Congress to build on the progress made by eight pioneering states – California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Vermont – and establish Healthy School Meals for All policies nationwide.

At the state level, FRAC advocates for broader adoption of these proven measures, which not only increase participation but also reduce childhood hunger, bolster academic achievement, improve student behavior, and ease financial and logistical burdens for families and school districts alike. The newly released State of Healthy School Meals for All report provides a detailed look at how these policies are reshaping educational environments for the better.

Looking ahead, FRAC also warns against legislative proposals that could undermine progress. The organization calls on Congress to reject any measures that would restrict access to free meals in high need schools, emphasizing that equitable access to nutritious food is fundamental to student success.

As the new data show, ensuring that every child has the nourishment they need is not merely a question of policy – it is a profound investment in the nation’s future.