Millions of children across the United States rely on school meals as a primary source of daily nutrition. Access to healthy meals improves diet quality, reduces hunger, and supports better attendance and academic performance. Recent federal actions, however, have threatened the reach and quality of these programs. Funding reductions have limited schools' ability to purchase fresh, locally sourced foods and have made universal free meals harder to provide. These changes disproportionately affect students from low-income and historically marginalized communities, increasing food insecurity, stigma, and meal debt. The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) urges Congress to restore funding for the Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance programs, which help schools and food banks provide fresh, locally produced foods. We also call on lawmakers to co-sponsor the No Hungry Kids in Schools Act to expand universal free meal access and simplify eligibility requirements. Finally, SBM recommends codifying the key nutrition standards from the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into law to protect them from administrative or political changes. These measures would ensure reliable nutrition for all students, reduce hunger and meal debt, support local agriculture, and promote equity. Strengthening school meal programs is an evidence-based strategy to improve child health, enhance academic outcomes, and support social and educational equity nationwide.
Keywords: food insecurity; hunger; nutrition; school meals.
Across the United States, millions of children depend on school meals as a key source of daily nutrition. Evidence shows that when students have access to healthy meals, their diets improve, hunger decreases, and school attendance and academic performance rise. Despite this, recent federal funding cuts have limited schools’ ability to provide fresh, locally grown foods and offer universal free meals. These reductions disproportionately affect students from low-income families and historically marginalized communities, increasing food insecurity and creating stigma for those who rely on school nutrition programs. The Society of Behavioral Medicine urges Congress to restore funding for school meal programs, expand access to free meals for all students, and codify nutrition standards into law. Strengthening these programs is an evidence-based strategy to reduce child hunger, support healthy development, and promote equity, ensuring that every student has the nutrition they need to thrive academically and socially.
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