Do you recall the last time you did not have your morning cup of coffee or tea? Without it, you might be moody throughout the day and not get done what you intended. How about the last time you skipped lunch? Were you able to focus on your work with a rumbling stomach? Now imagine being a child at school who had skipped a meal or had not eaten for a whole day.
Millions of children experience hunger each day
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that in 2018 11.2 million children [pdf] in the US lived in food insecure households. That’s roughly one in every 8 children. Children are somewhat protected from this food insecurity by parents who often prioritize feeding their children. But in about 220,000 households, food insecurity was so severe that children went hungry, skipped a meal or even skipped a whole day of eating. Children in households with incomes below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level were most likely to experience this very low food security (12.0%).
A large body of research [pdf] suggests that hunger impedes attendance and performance in school. Hunger is also associated with a number of behavioral and mental health problems. Students that are food insecure have smaller gains in math and reading compared to students that are food secure. They are more likely to repeat a grade and less likely to graduate from high school. The American Academy of Pediatrics also summarized studies showing psychosocial impacts of food insecurity, including higher rates of depression and suicidal thoughts.
The National School Lunch Program
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) was established in 1946 aimed to solve this issue by offering free or reduced priced school lunches to children in low-income families. In the 2017-2018 school year, about 30 million children participated in the school lunch program. About 95% of all public and non-profit private schools participated. They served more than 4.8 billion school lunches, most of which were served free or at a reduced price. The USDA figure below shows the total number of free or reduced price school lunch meals served over a nearly 50-year period.
Clearly, for some parents, school is not just a place where children go to learn. School is a place where parents know their children will get fed without having to worry about the cost. For some low-income families, school is a place where children get nutritious meals for free or a reduced price, which alleviates the burden of cost for many families with children. Imagine the relief you might feel if your work provided you with free or reduced priced meals.
The impact of the NSLP is large. First, it has reduced food insecurity by 14%. In fact, children from marginally secure and food insecure households received most of their nutritional intake from school meals [pdf]. Other studies show the NSLP helped reduce obesity by about 17% and poor health status by 29%. By providing nutritious foods to children, students can focus in class, increase their math and reading gains and enhance their social skills.
The program is expensive. Is money going to waste?
The NSLP is the second largest federal food assistance program for low-income families. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP is the largest. In 2018, about $13.8 billion was spent on the NSLP. Yet an estimated $1.2 billion worth of NSLP foods were simply thrown away that year. Some food waste is to be expected because some children will miss school on any given day and those meals need to be available.
Food waste, however, is a real concern. One question is whether nutrition standards in the NSLP are driving some of this food waste. The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 updated federal nutrition standards for school lunches. These included standards for the mix of foods offered, sodium content, serving size and maximum calorie counts. One study found that healthier school lunches did not reduce program participation. The nutrition standard changes also improved the quality of diets among participants. But the impact on food waste is less clear.
There are many ways that we can combat the issue of food waste to ensure that federal funds are being put to good use. We can teach and allow children to safely bring leftovers home or eat them after school. We can also remind our children to not take more than what they will finish. If they want more, they can get it once they finish what is on their plate. Schools can also implement the “offer vs serve” strategy. Children should be able to pick out the foods they want at the salad bar or the hot line. This helpful Ensia article summarizes the variety of solutions to combat food waste in schools.
Shaming children to fund school lunches
Do you remember when you were in school and you didn’t do as well as you wanted on a test? Showing your parents the grade was nerve wracking enough. But imagine it being publicly posted so all your peers could see your score. How embarrassed would you feel? Some school districts across the US have forced children to face similar feelings for unpaid debts for school meals.
Facing rising food costs, some districts have struggled with unpaid lunch debts among those who do not qualify for the NSLP. According to survey data from the School Nutrition Association about 75% of districts reported unpaid student meal debts in 2017 and most of these districts offered strategies to prevent debts from accumulating. For example, most districts (85.7%) offered help to complete free and reduced-price applications. About half of districts (56.4%) offered financial assistance through donations.
But some districts have enacted punishments ranging from serving cold sandwiches instead of a hot meal to denying children a meal entirely. In Pennsylvania this past year, some school districts quietly reinstated a “lunch shaming” policy for students who accrued more than $50 in debt. Other districts stigmatized students that had a meal debt by posting their names, giving them wristbands or stamping their hands. This practice not only shames these students but also creates a negative environment at school.
Taking action
The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) is a nonprofit organization that aims to eliminate malnutrition and poverty-related hunger in the US. The FRAC, just like many of us, supports efforts to feed children nutritious foods during school. It has a helpful action center with policy guidance for those interested in these issues. When it comes to shaming children who have not paid for their lunch meals, FRAC endorses the “No Shame at School Act” to end this stigmatization at the federal level. Their aim is to create an optimistic and caring school environment where every student is taken care of and not judged.
You might be wondering how can you get involved? Every step counts, whether you are discussing it with your colleagues, taking a stance on policy or advocating for child nutrition. Reach out to members of Congress, and city or school district officials to discuss your opinions about the importance of child nutrition. This is key because it will help them know what their constituents value. Host a community call where stakeholders are able to share opinions and ideas and voice their concerns. Future generations are relying on us. So pick up the phone, talk to your representatives and we can all work together to combat food insecurity.
Editor’s Note: This post is the last in our school health policy series. Part 1 discussed screening for ACEs in schools. The second part examined the role of athletic trainers in preventing school injuries. Part 3 examined mental health services in schools and education funding. You can also read the introduction to the series.
Sarina Patel