Action for School Meal Programs

Okay, so it’s not 2020 anymore — but let’s not pretend families suddenly bounced back. The same economic pressures are still very real and, once again, school meal programs are stepping up as part of the solution.

Now’s the moment to advocate loudly for expanding summer meal options, increasing afterschool snacks and suppers, and making breakfast actually accessible (think: grab-and-go, breakfast after the bell, mobile carts). The good news? USDA funding is there. Bringing those dollars into your community doesn’t just mean healthier kids, it also means better pay and stability for school nutrition staff.

Let’s talk about what’s actually happening

Right now, about 48 million Americans are living in households dealing with hunger or inconsistent access to affordable, nutritious food. And no, this isn’t just the families who qualify for free and reduced-price meals.

A huge portion falls into what’s called ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. Basically, people who are working, but still can’t afford the basics where they live.

These families are making impossible choices every single day — rent or groceries, gas or childcare. That stress doesn’t just stay in a spreadsheet; it shows up in mental health, physical health, and the overall well-being of the entire household.

Here’s the snapshot:

  • 13% of U.S. households live below the Federal Poverty Level

  • 29% are ALICE (earning above poverty, but still not enough)

  • That’s 42% of households struggling to afford basic needs

And it’s getting worse:

  • 2019: ~50.4 million households below the ALICE threshold

  • 2023: ~55.5 million households below the ALICE threshold

  • 2024: 18% of households with children couldn’t afford enough food

For 2025 and now 2026, it’s estimated that this number will continue to climb, driven by persistent inflation, housing costs, and wage stagnation.

It’s time to act for kids

If you’ve ever worked in a school, you already know: Monday mornings = hungry kids.

Educators see it. Kids who haven’t eaten can’t focus, can’t regulate emotions, and definitely aren’t ready to learn. That’s why schools have been getting creative — breakfast in the gym, carts in hallways, breakfast after the bell.

Because hunger isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s disruptive to development.

What hunger actually does to kids:

  • Lowers academic performance

  • Increases behavioral challenges (yes, hunger and hyperactivity are linked)

  • Weakens immune systems

  • Impacts brain development (especially with insufficient nutrient intake like low iron)

  • Reduces focus, energy, and ability to learn

  • Affects both physical and mental health over time

And here’s the part people often miss: hunger doesn’t always look like hunger.

Not every kid is visibly underweight. Some are eating, but low-quality food. Some skip meals quietly. Others lose the ability to recognize fullness, which can lead to overeating and even obesity later.

Why this is so hard for people to “get”

We live in a country where food access is wildly uneven. Some people have constant access to fresh, healthy options. Others are navigating strict budgets and limited choices.

There’s actually a $6/day food budget challenge based on SNAP guidelines. People who try it? By day four, they’re stressed in the grocery store. By day seven, many don’t even want to go anymore.

Why? Too many choices they can’t afford.

Imagine walking past fresh produce knowing it’s out of reach. Choosing white bread because whole grain costs more. Skipping entire aisles because nothing fits your budget. That’s everyday life for millions of families.

What this means for school foodservice leaders

Here’s the reality: school meal programs are serving students with completely different relationships to foods, sometimes in the same lunch line.

Some kids have consistent access to nutritious meals. Others have access to enough food, but not always healthy options. And others are skipping meals or dealing with real food shortages

Naming these differences matters. Backing them up with local data matters even more.

Because when you clearly explain what hunger looks like and how it impacts learning, behavior, and long-term outcomes, you give educators and policymakers something real to advocate for.

So… what can we actually do?

There are practical, actionable steps:

  • Allow summer meal pickup (like weekly distribution with registration)

  • Use school buses as mobile or “congregate feeding” sites

  • Partner with libraries, pools, and rec programs to serve meals where kids already are

  • Expand after-school meal programs

  • Make breakfast easier to access (remove barriers wherever possible)

Bottom line

School meals aren’t just about food, they’re about equity, education, and long-term community health.

If nearly half the country is struggling to afford basics, this isn’t a fringe issue. It’s core infrastructure. And right now, we have the funding, the data, and the on-the-ground insight to do something about it.

Further resources: Economic data linking inflation or employment to student hunger.

FRAC: https://frac.org

https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/php/resources/healthy-eating-benefits-for-children.html

https://marigallagher.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Food-Desert-to-Food-Oasis-Research-Consulting.pdf

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10524122/

Lora spent nearly 20 years as the Senior Director for the Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) Food and Nutrition Program in Orlando, Florida. During her tenure, she tripled the meals served to one million every five days. During the pandemic, OCPS served 46 million meals, an increase of 28% from the 2019 school year.

Lora's extensive accomplishments at OCPS inform her current work with ProTeam where she is passionate about helping to empower nutrition professionals to improve access to school meals.

Kymm Mutch, Mutch Better Foods, LLC.

Kymm is Owner and Principal of Mutch Better Foods, LLC. where she works with an array of clients to develop products for school food markets.

She spent nearly a decade administering Milwaukee Public Schools’ federally funded meal program including budget development, fiscal management, and meal counting and claiming accountability. She has managed procurement for MPS with a $42 million budget, as well as for three regional co-ops in Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Paul Mackesey