During the pandemic, the United States Department of Agriculture temporarily offered free school meals every school day to all students at no charge, but this federal provision ended in June 2022. As a result, California became the first state to expand the universal meals program beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. Other states considering expansion of free school meals may be following current research on the impact of free school meals in California. The New York Times invited Monica Zuercher, a project scientist with the Nutrition Policy Institute, to share her knowledge of free school meals. Zuercher was featured in The New York Times for Kids article titled ‘What if every kid got a free lunch?' by Katherine Cusumano in which she spoke to research-proven benefits of free school meals, particularly better attendance rates and improved health outcomes. Research on states that operate a free school meal program illustrate benefits and feasibility of free school meals programs for other states to follow. The New York Times for Kids article ‘What if every kid got a free lunch?' was published in print on January 29, 2023. The Nutrition Policy Institute documents further resources, research, and publications on School Meals for All on the Nutrition Policy Institute website Resources tab.
According to a study conducted by the Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, parents of K-12 students in California overwhelmingly value the benefits of school meals, such as saving families money and time, reducing family stress, and improving academic performance. Researchers interviewed a representative sample of 1,110 California parents of children in public or charter schools, and 82% said school meals helped them save money, while 80% said it helped them save time. However, the interviews also revealed some of the challenges faced by school meal programs, including repetitive menus and students not liking what was served. Parents suggested simplifying the meal application process and providing information in written formats to help them overcome some barriers to participation. Study findings are presented in a research brief, developed by NPI as part of their formative evaluation of California's Universal School Meals. California's new program provides free breakfast and lunch to all K-12 students and is a model for other states. This study aims to continue to inform and help optimize the program.
The Nutrition Policy Institute at the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources has commented in support of the US Department of Agriculture's "Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" proposed new “durable” rule, which would enhance school nutrition standards. The proposed rule aligns school meal nutrition requirements with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), as required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. NPI welcomes and strongly supports the USDA's proposed limits on added sugars in school lunch and breakfast program meals. Extensive research has linked the consumption of added sugars to chronic diseases such as obesity, metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and dental decay. However, NPI added an important caveat to the proposed limits on added sugars, stating, “Nutrition Policy Institute strongly recommends that the USDA include language in the rule that restricts substitute sweeteners (e.g., artificial sweeteners, low and non-caloric sweeteners) in school meals, and explicitly not allow product reformulations that use substitute sweeteners in place of added sugars until such time as studies are conducted to assure our nation's children of their long-term safety.” Additionally, NPI commended the USDA for their inclusion of whole grains, reduced sodium, increased variety of fruits and vegetables, and traditional food options for Indigenous children, and for investment in technical assistance to school districts through the Healthy Meals Incentive Program. NPI points out that the US population is largely unhealthy, with only 12% of Americans metabolically healthy, and concludes that setting strong nutrition standards for school meals would help support the nutrition and health of more than 30 million school-age children receiving school lunches, and 15 million children receiving school breakfasts. The public comment window for the proposed revisions closes on May 10, 2023.
A new research brief developed by the Nutrition Policy Institute provides findings about California K-12 students' time to eat school meals. During the 2021-22 school year, the final year of meals being free of charge for all students as part of the federal government's COVID-19 pandemic response, NPI researchers surveyed and interviewed California school food service directors and parents of students, and conducted focus groups with students. Responses showed that adequate time for students to sit and eat school meals is a concern among all three groups. Food service directors and students made suggestions for improvement including adding more lunch periods and increasing cafeteria staffing; both groups also suggested extending the lunch period. The findings on time to eat are one of many analyses being undertaken in NPI's evaluation of California's School Meals for All program. During school year 2022-23, NPI researchers along with national colleagues are collecting data again from these same stakeholders in school nutrition programs in California and 9 other states.
- Author: Katherine Lanca
- Editor: Danielle L. Lee
- Editor: Lorrene Ritchie
The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources is calling academics, UC ANR staff, and students to attend the kickoff of their 2025-2040 strategic visioning process at the UC ANR Statewide Conference on April 24-27, 2023 in Fresno, California. Topics of the conference include: healthy food systems, healthy environments, healthy communities, and healthy Californians. Nutrition Policy Institute researchers will attend the conference to share current challenges, best practices, and future opportunities pertaining to healthy food access and nutrition policy in California and nationally. NPI team members will also lead sessions on professional development and best research practices. In addition to presenting, NPI will have an interactive table in the UC ANR Resources Room where NPI team members can answer attendees' questions about NPI and the CalFresh Health Living Evaluation Unit. A list of the poster presentations and sessions led by NPI researchers is found below.
Community Nutrition
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Sharing Successes and Collaborations in Community Nutrition and Health
Session: Measuring outcomes of CalFresh Healthy Living: Collaborating to enhance evaluation rigor and apply an equity framework
Presenters: Kaela Plank, Miranda Westfall, and Barbara MkNelly
Monday, April 24, 2023, 11:00 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Drinking Water
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Enabling Consumption of Water: the Example of Schools
Session: What's New in the World of Water?
Presenter: Christina Hecht
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Nutrition Security
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Research to Inform Policy: Nutrition Security and Health Equity
Session: Food Systems: Healthy Planet, Healthy People
Presenter: Lorrene Ritchie
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 8:00 a.m.- 10:00 a.m.
Professional Development and Research Skills
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Wheel of your Career
Session: Food Systems: Healthy Planet, Healthy People
Presenter: Danielle Lee
Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
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From Science to Action: Tools and Techniques for Fact-Based Civic Engagement
Session: Strengthening Participatory Extension Approaches
Presenter: Christina Hecht
Thursday, April 27, 2023, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
School Food
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Universal School Meals in California: Challenges and Benefits Reported by Foodservice Directors and Parents
Poster: M-55
Presenter: Lorrene Ritchie
Monday, April 24, 2023, 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.
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Method for Evaluating Food Packaging Waste in Schools: Waste Audit for Sustainable Transitions and Evaluations (WASTE)
Poster: T-30
Presenter: Danielle Lee
Tuesday, April 25, 2023, 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
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Highlighting the impact of multi-state research-to-policy efforts during COVID-19: understanding perspectives and utilization of WIC adaptations in California and beyond
Poster: M-64
Presenter: Lorrene Ritchie, Danielle Lee, and Marisa Tsai
Monday, April 24, 2023, 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.
