With each new morning, when students enter a classroom, not only will their academic triumphs stem from books or instruction, but their academic success also begins with something more fundamental: a healthy meal. For numerous children throughout the country, food provided by their local school district is not merely a luxury; it’s a requirement. At the heart of the school, meals are more than a break in the day; school meals are at the core of building a student’s achievement, development, and well-being.
Food security remains a growing concern for families across the country. Students not receiving consistent healthy school nutrition daily are a serious issue, and it will be examined in this article. Providing a daily meal (or meals) to every student every school day is not only a best practice for factors such as attendance and achievement, but it is also the right thing to do.
The Link Between Nutrition and Learning
Anyone familiar with hungry children knows that they can have a hard time focusing. Studies have shown time and again that students who eat healthy and well-balanced meals perform better on tests, generally attend school more often, and exhibit better behaviors. If students can start their days with breakfast and have access to lunch while at school, their energy levels can be more balanced, allowing them to focus more on learning rather than their stomach growling.
By comparison, poor nutrition can undermine cognitive development by impairing memory. It is also no surprise that children who skip meals frequently may suffer from fatigue, anxiety, and poor academic performance.
School Meals Fight Food Insecurity
Millions of families struggle daily to provide three meals for their families. The USDA reports that over 13 million children in the U.S. live in food-insecure families. These families range from those whose children may skip meals and avoid food until necessary to those who eat simply to fill their stomachs with low-nutrient, high-calorie foods that are cheaper than healthy options.
School public nutrition programs help to alleviate this by providing at least one or two healthy meals a day to children every weekday. Not to mention, school lunch, and sometimes breakfast, is the one reliable meal of the day for some students. School-meal programs that charge little to nothing help to minimize childhood hunger and provide an equitable chance of success for all kids.
Promoting Healthier Eating Habits
One of the primary long-term benefits of school-time meals is that they help develop a child’s relationship with food. Many school programs are identifying ways to serve meals to students that offer balanced choices, including fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains. Some offerings may also include locally grown produce, plant-based options, and meals that minimize allergen exposure.
Exposure to a wide variety of healthy foods in a school setting encourages students to make healthy food choices even outside of the cafeteria. It can also promote healthy eating and provide children with the knowledge base to understand what portion sizes should look like, what nutrients are, and why it is essential to fuel their bodies.
Reducing Stigma Through Universal Access
Students used to feel the stigma associated with free or reduced-priced lunches, leading some students to abstain from eating altogether. Universal school meal programs, which serve food to students regardless of their income, eliminate this divide. When every student is served the same food, no child is singled out, and no child is judged based on perceived economic status.
The value of this simple distinction unites the student body and teaches students the importance of inclusion, respect, pride, and equity. It ensures that each child is served a meal and that they are not overlooked due to an application that was missed, lost paperwork, or a tragic financial situation.
Investing in the Future
Providing meals for students every day within the school environment is an investment in the future. Healthy and well-fed students will have a better chance of graduating, continuing their education, and being productive citizens. They will also likely not require remedial education or intervention for health issues, or drop out of school due to poor academic performance.
When states or school districts support meal programs, they promote education and safety and provide a return on investment for healthier communities and stronger economies. By providing food for children today, they are ensuring that they will be viable and productive adults.
Final Thoughts
Every child is entitled to learn, grow, and succeed—and for that to happen, they must be fed. Access to daily school meals is more than a nice-to-have; it is a precondition for education equity, public health, and social innovation.
As we shift thinking about how schools can serve the whole student, we should feel a sense of urgency that no child should be hungry during the school day. By supporting policies that expand access to healthy and stigma-free meals, we are moving closer to ensuring that future generations will have the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their lived experiences outside of school.
