How School Lunches Fight Child Hunger in the U.S.

In almost every public school in the United States, you’ll find a school cafeteria. Here, thousands of students line up every school day for a meal, filling trays with staples like chicken nuggets, sliced fruit and veggies, milk, and more.

School lunch is more than just a midday break. The meal is just as critical for a child’s education as what happens in the classroom – especially for students who rely on school meals as their primary source of reliable meals.

When Did School Lunches Start?

In 1904, sociologist Robert Hunter wrote of the challenges experienced by schoolchildren facing poverty and hunger: “Learning is difficult because hungry stomachs…are not able to feed the brain. There must be thousands (of children) who often arrive at school hungry and unfitted to do well the work required.”

It was unfair, he argued, for the country to compel school attendance for all children while overlooking the fact that many of them weren’t able to actually learn. For them, school was nothing but a frustrating time sink.

Why Are School Lunches Important?

At that time, meal programs did exist within a few schools. However, these were largely small-scale, local affairs, overseen and funded by charities, churches, or women’s groups. Some school boards also chose to institute meal programs in their districts.

The reach of these programs was not great – but the impact was undeniable. Teachers in schools where these early programs were tested reported improvements in their students’ mental and physical wellbeing.

Effects of the Great Depression and Federal Funding

When the Great Depression struck, the need for widespread nutritional support became apparent. Schools were the obvious avenue for getting food to a population critically in need of the resource. Legislation was passed allowing the federal government to buy surplus farm produce and funnel it to school meal programs.

Changes to the School Lunch Program

School lunch programs continued to grow in scope until the 1940s. When America entered the Second World War, the resources needed for supporting school lunches – food, money, manpower – were diverted to the military, and the school lunch program took a massive hit.

Despite crippling the school lunch program, the war would, ultimately, inspire Congress to save it. Many of the youths drafted to fight arrived malnourished and too weak to effectively serve. As it turned out, hungry stomachs were not able to feed the brain… or the war effort.

The National School Lunch Act Passes

In 1946 the National School Lunch Program was signed into law by President Harry Truman. By the end of the program’s first year, about 7.1 million children were participating. And by 1980, that number had nearly quadrupled.

Over the years, the program has continued to change. In 1966, the Child Nutrition Act launched the experimental School Breakfast Program, which added a second free or reduced-price meal for children in need. The Breakfast Program became a permanent feature in 1975.

The School Lunch Program was improved again in 2010, when Congress passed the Hunger-Free Kids Act. This legislation focused on improving the nutrition of school meals, helping ensure that children were eating a healthy, balanced diet in school.

School Meals Still Matter!

Since the earliest days of the school lunch program in America, educators and researchers alike have observed the benefits:

As the teachers in the early 1900s had noticed, school meals improved attendance and increased grades. Children from low-income households who are able to eat free or reduced-price meals also have better health – including lower rates of obesity – than those who do not get school meals.

When children have enough healthy food to eat, they are better able to learn, and more likely to be able to break the cycle of poverty.

What Else Can Be Done to Help End Hunger?

School meals play an important role in reducing child hunger. However, the meal program isn’t a perfect solution. Like all federal assistance programs, the School Meal Program has experienced legislative changes. Its reach was broadly extended during the COVID-19 pandemic, but when eligibility requirements changed afterwards, many students who still needed meals no longer qualified.

School meal programs also typically only cover school days. Some schools have donor programs to support weekend meals, but by and large weekends, holidays, and other school breaks go uncovered. This gap in meals is especially damaging for children and families over the long summer vacation.

How to Support School Lunches

The best way to support school meals is with your vote. Donating to organizations like Feed the Children is another great way to help support children in school, thanks to programs like in-school Food & Essentials Hubs and Backpack-N-Go events.

By working together, we can all make a difference and create a world where no child goes to bed hungry!