The federal government serves as a critical safety net in providing meals to children both in school and at home, and, in fact, more than 30 million school children rely on school meals for nearly half of their daily calories.
Significant strides were made in nutritional standards after the passage of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, and school meals have largely become the healthiest source of food many students will have access to. Researchers analyzed the diets of over 21,000 children and 40,000 adults between 2003 and 2018 and found that the percentage of "poor nutritional quality food consumed from schools" declined from 55% to 24% over the 15-year period.”
Unfortunately, many of the standards established in 2010 were subsequently rolled back, and there is a well-orchestrated and well-financed effort to prevent improving the standards even further. As standards were watered down, school-based meals are most commonly processed and unhealthy foods with high amounts of fat, sugar, and sodium.
The consequences of a poor diet on a child’s health and development are numerous, from obesity to tooth decay and if a child suffers from a chronic health condition, an unhealthy meal will only exacerbate that situation. Diet (including a lack of sufficient nutrition) also impacts energy and concentration, all of which influence a student’s academic performance and behavior.
The debate about the direction of food policy in the US is ongoing, but the stakes are higher than they have been in years. Both the availability as well as the quality of the food children rely on is being debated in Congress and the Administration this year and next.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working to improve the nutritional quality of school meals and other child nutrition programs by issuing rules and regulations which will update the standards schools must follow. Congress is planning to reauthorize several important child nutrition programs in 2022, and the Farm Bill in 2023, which will have implications many programs that feed millions of children. There will be opportunities for stakeholder groups to provide feedback and policy recommendations.
Now more than ever, the child health and education communities, from early education through college, must unify their efforts and elevate their voices to call upon all policymakers to prioritize the importance of a robust federal investment in and attention to increased nutrition security.
Resources:
5 Things for Advocates to Know About Equitable School Nutrition
Free school meals are a clear win for children & families
Comment on Child Nutrition Programs & Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium