Back to School: How Students Benefit From Free, Healthy School Meals

Henry J. Robinson Middle School in Lowell buzzed with excitement on a Friday morning, as school nutrition staff across eastern Massachusetts sampled a Project Bread school recipe — Bartlett’s Boomin’ Nachos — made by our chef educators Ryan Eckles and Sherry Hughes in collaboration with Wally Robles, cook manager at Bartlett Community Partnership School.

Some folks have been working in schools for less than a year. Others, close to 20. Regardless of experience, school nutrition professionals play one of the most important roles in ending child hunger: feeding kids in school and feeding them well.

“Growing up, you only had one option [for] meals. Now you're introducing a variety, then you have tasting and all that, everything that restaurants provide on a daily basis. Now we're bringing it to the school. And I love it,” said Wally.

For many kids, the school year starting means breakfast and lunch returning, two substantial meals that they can rely on at school to fuel them throughout the day. In fact, School Meals for All increases access to free school meals for up to 400,000 students.

We’ll cover:

• How schools feed kids

• Why we need healthy school meals for all

• Benefits of eating school meals

• Back to school meals: getting kids to eat

“There is not a single other job that we have in our society, other than maybe doctors or nurses, that have your type of impact on future generations, none,” Project Bread’s Chef Ryan addressed school nutrition professionals. “That means that the kids can't survive without coming here and eating the food. That's super important.” 

This underscores just how critical school meal programs are in ensuring children receive the essential nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. By offering balanced and nutritious meals, schools contribute significantly to the overall well-being of their students and support their ability to learn and thrive.

At Project Bread, we work directly with schools, partnering with school nutrition staff to create nutritious and delicious school breakfast and lunch meals students love. It is a collaborative effort; to ensure students enjoy the meals, we invite staff and students to taste-test the recipes.

For example, with Project Bread's support, Wally developed the nachos recipe, inspired by the flavors of a classic Sloppy Joe.

“We work based on evidence. So we don’t just come into a district and say, ‘Oh, we’re gonna make this today and serve this.’ We taste-test it with you and we taste-test it with the students,” Project Bread's Chef Sherry said to a crowd of school nutrition professionals during the Lowell training session.

In August 2023, Project Bread successfully led the Feed Kids Coalition and our partners in the legislation to make School Meals for All permanent in Massachusetts, ensuring students receive the nutrition they need for years to come. Our supporters and advocates played a vital role in this win, now resulting in 100,000 more kids eating school lunch daily.

All students need healthy school meals to thrive. Providing free school meals ensures that nutritious food is available to every child, easing the financial burden on families. Healthy school meals play a significant role in establishing good eating habits to prevent type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, costly chronic illnesses that can take a financial toll.

However, school meals aren't just about necessity — they can also be enjoyable and social. Sharing meals with peers helps kids build friendships and essential social skills. When students see their peers trying new foods in the cafeteria, they are more likely to follow suit, leading to increased consumption of nutritious foods that support their growth and development. It's incredible to see how a little healthy peer pressure can encourage kids to embrace vegetables and other nutritious foods. 

Furthermore, families from diverse income backgrounds can benefit from school meals provided at no cost for all students. This initiative makes parents' lives easier, lessening the financial burden of grocery shopping to prepare school breakfast and lunch for kids.

Did you know that eating school meals comes with a myriad of benefits? From saving time to breaking down barriers and stigma, there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to eating meals at school.

• Saves Time
  Eating school meals comes with numerous benefits that extend beyond just providing nourishment. First and foremost, it saves time in the morning, ensuring that children can get out of bed and out the door without the added stress of preparing meals. Knowing that kids will eat in school simplifies the morning routine and ensures they start their day with a healthy and fulfilling meal.
   
• Saves Money
  In addition to time saved, there are significant cost savings associated with school meals. On average, it can save a family around $1,200 per year per child. This reduction in expenses is coupled with an environmental benefit, resulting in using fewer plastic sandwich bags and taking up less space.
   

• Breaks Down Barriers and Stigma
  Additionally, by providing free meals to all students, school meal programs work to break down barriers and stigma associated with meal assistance. This inclusive approach means that more kids can enjoy breakfast and lunch together at school, fostering a sense of community and ensuring that everyone can participate in recess with the energy from a full stomach.
   

• Boosts Revenue for Your Child's School Nutrition Program
  Moreover, by participating in school meal programs, families contribute to boosting revenue for their child’s school. This additional funding is then reinvested to enhance the school meal program, leading to tastier and healthier meals for the students. This cycle of improvement ensures that students receive high-quality and nutritious meals, positively impacting their overall well-being.

Making meals is one thing, but getting students to eat them is another. School nutrition professionals can increase student meal consumption with a few tips and tricks.