The U.S. Needs Universal School Meals—Now
Issue No. 6: Food, Nutrition, and Access in Our Communities
Words - Anne Moertel
When schools began to close due to COVID-19, one of the biggest concerns for both families and policymakers was how children would access the meals they are typically served in school. School meal programs fuel students’ learning throughout the school day. 2.4 billion breakfasts and 4.9 billion school lunches are served each year. With school closures, kitchen and cafeteria workers had to pivot from school lunchrooms and plastic trays to packaged meals and pick-up windows. Across the U.S., workers rose to the challenge with creative solutions, serving millions of meals to children and risking exposure to coronavirus as essential frontline workers.
This essential workforce consists predominantly of women, many of whom are immigrants and women of color. For these women, being a “lunch lady” offers good hours for working mothers, the opportunity to prepare food and connect with children, and, for many, a union job. They know the families they’re serving: which student needs an extra meal sent home in their backpack, and which student has peanut allergies. When asked to serve their community during a crisis, it’s not a question of if they can serve, but when to show up.
“I just jumped in,” said Juanita Hernandez, who packs and distributes “grab-and-go” meals for children in San Francisco. When asked why she decided to continue as a food service worker during a pandemic, Hernandez said, “I have to do something to help the community. I am very proud.” When her daughter said she should consider staying home, Hernandez responded, “No, the little kids are so happy to see us, and parents say ‘thank you for all you’ve done for us.’” Hernandez’s team distributes over 8,000 grab-and-go meals per week at one of eighteen sites in San Francisco.
Sonia Aguilar prepares delivery meals for students with disabilities and dietary needs who have a harder time leaving their home and accessing food. “When the pandemic started, I thought, ‘We are essential workers, my hands can do something more,’” said Aguilar. “That’s my heart, that’s my work. I’m doing something very special.” Her kitchen, located in a public high school, prepares and packs over 2,500 freshly-made meals each week for delivery in San Francisco.
As the COVID-19 crisis quickly became a hunger crisis across the U.S., school meals came into the spotlight. Schools are well-positioned to distribute fresh food during a crisis, especially in underinvested communities where access to fresh fruits and vegetables can be limited. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, championed by former First Lady Michelle Obama, requires school lunches to include proteins, grains, fruits, and vegetables, and to limit the amount of fat, calories, and sodium for each meal. While the Trump administration has sought to roll back these nutrition standards, their efforts have been largely unsuccessful. And research has shown that nutritious school meals can have an impact: a 2020 study found that in the years after the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was implemented, the risk of obesity for children in poverty declined each year, and a 2017 study found that eating healthy school meals led to improved academic performance.
It’s often forgotten that school districts are not just educational institutions, but also the largest food distributors in the area. The three largest school districts in the country report distributing millions of meals in the 3 months after schools closed in March: New York City public schools have distributed over 22 million meals; Los Angeles Unified School District distributed over 30 million meals; Chicago Public Schools distributed over 15 million meals. This demand shows no sign of letting up—as COVID-19 continues to ravage our economy and families face unprecedented hardship, a worsening hunger crisis looms.
Data from 2016 tells us that 18 percent of U.S. children live in food-insecure households, and that number rises to 33 percent for children of single mothers. These numbers will certainly increase due to the economic impact of COVID-19 on families.
School meals are our opportunity to reduce the strain and invest in children’s health, education, and ability to thrive. Many school districts are providing more than just breakfast and lunch meals during COVID-19. Dinner, as well as fresh produce and milk can be included in grab-and-go meals. In San Francisco, locally-grown organic strawberries and honeydew melons have been served; and in Minneapolis, grab-and-go meals have included local radishes and turkey burgers. Local food banks have also partnered with schools to distribute pantry items during school meal pickup.
Cafeteria workers have designed various models to continue serving students safely and efficiently. In Houston, curbside pickup allows families to drive up to school sites for packaged meals to be placed in the trunk of their car. In Chicago, families can pick up or request home delivery. In San Francisco, walk-up windows with plexiglass barriers were created in the doorway of school buildings, and meal sites were opened at community-based organizations to provide additional food access points. Federal policies must continue to provide the flexibility needed for each city to respond to the unique needs of their community.
With these new models, pandemic school meals have become the low-cost, nutritious “fast food” chain our country has been needing. To ensure continued access for children, a real policy solution would be to implement “universal school meals,” providing all students with free meals, without an income test to families. Currently, families must receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or other public benefits; or must submit their income for verification of eligibility to receive free meals, which requires reapplication each school year. This process is burdensome for both families and school districts. A forgotten application can lead to invoices sent home, or in some school districts, a refusal to provide the child with a meal at all.
In 2019, Representative Ilhan Omar and Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Universal School Meals Program Act, which would provide all students with free meals every school day. More recently, House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott introduced the Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act, which would provide all students with free meals during the 2020-2021 school year. Adopting this legislation would reduce the paperwork burden on schools and families, and finally deem school meals essential for our nation’s children. In addition, universal school meals would reduce barriers and the stigma associated with free school meals. Our cafeteria workers are willing to show up and serve students. We need to ask the same of our policymakers and ensure this legislation gets passed.
During a health and economic crisis, prioritizing the health and success of our nation’s children is urgent. By investing in school meal programs during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, we can ensure children will be well-nourished and ready to learn.
Anne Moertel leads communications for San Francisco Unified School District’s Student Nutrition Services and has been advocating for better school food since 2011. You can follow her on Twitter @annemoertel.
