A groundbreaking new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior reveals the profound consequences of discontinuing universal free school meal (UFSM) policies across various states in the United States. The research underscores the significant increase in school meal debt, heightened student stigma, and notable declines in meal participation rates, painting a stark picture of the repercussions faced by school nutrition programs following policy reversals.
Conducted through an extensive cross-sectional survey in the spring of 2023, the study gathered data from 941 school food authorities (SFAs) across eight states with divergent approaches to UFSM. Some states had deimplemented these policies, while others continued UFSM through state-led mandates. This methodological approach allowed researchers to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the operational, financial, and social impacts associated with these policy shifts, affording a rare comparative analysis.
States such as California, Maine, and Massachusetts, which maintained their UFSM policies, demonstrated more stable foodservice revenues and higher student access to nutritious meals. In contrast, states including Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, and New Jersey, which rescinded universal free meal programs, faced dramatic challenges in maintaining equitable nutrition services. These contrasting environments provided real-world contexts in which the consequences of UFSM implementation versus deimplementation could be observed and quantified.
The data reveals that approximately 73% of SFAs in states withdrawing UFSM policies reported a decline in meal participation, in stark contrast with just 15% in states retaining UFSM. This precipitous drop in participation suggests a direct relationship between meal cost-free policies and student engagement in school nutrition programs. Such a trend has profound implications not only for student health but also for the financial sustainability of school meal services.
Further compounding the problem, 76% of SFAs in deimplementing states experienced an increase in unpaid meal charges and accumulating school meal debt. The cascading financial strain jeopardizes the operational capacity of school food programs, potentially limiting the availability and quality of meals. Meanwhile, states persisting with UFSM observed a mere 5% increase in unpaid charges, underscoring the buffering effect of universal access on financial liabilities.
Perhaps most concerning is the increase in stigma associated with paid meals in states that abolished UFSM. Twenty-six percent of respondents from these states reported enhanced stigma experiences among low-income students, compared to just 5% in UFSM states. This elevated stigma may deter participation among vulnerable populations, exacerbating nutritional inequities and social marginalization within school environments.
The study also highlighted how staffing dynamics changed following UFSM discontinuation. Although states that ended UFSM reported somewhat lower staffing challenges, these gains were overshadowed by sharp revenue declines and reduced student meal uptake. This dynamic creates a paradox where reduced personnel needs arise from diminished program scope rather than improved efficiency or operational success.
Lead author Dr. Juliana F.W. Cohen, Director at the Center for Health Innovation, Research, and Policy at Merrimack College and Adjunct Professor of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, emphasizes the multifaceted benefits of UFSM. According to Dr. Cohen, universal free meals not only mitigate stigma but are crucial for ensuring consistent access to healthy food for all students, particularly those from low-income families. The research signals unequivocally that scaling back universal programs exacts significant costs on both student welfare and institutional viability.
The implications extend beyond immediate food access. The financial pressures on school meal programs can precipitate broader operational instability, affecting staffing retention, quality control, and program innovation. Moreover, the social costs, particularly heightened stigma and reduced inclusivity, can contribute to worsening health disparities and academic performance gaps among disadvantaged students.
Given these findings, the study advocates for reconsideration and potential reimplementation of UFSM policies as a strategy to alleviate fiscal pressures, reduce student meal debt, and enhance equitable nutrition access. Policymakers are urged to weigh these outcomes carefully, recognizing that short-term budgetary savings from policy removal may be offset by far-reaching negative consequences on student well-being and public health.
Addressing ongoing challenges, particularly staffing shortages that plague many school meal programs, is identified as a critical component for sustainable policy success. Enhancing workforce capacity, improving training, and increasing funding are essential to ensure that expanded or reinstated UFSM initiatives can thrive and meet the nutritional needs of all students effectively.
This comprehensive study, its methodology rooted in rigorous survey design across varied state contexts, provides valuable evidence informing the national discourse on school nutrition policy. As debates continue regarding funding and scope of school meal programs, these empirical insights underscore the tangible costs of rolling back universal free meal provisions in education systems.
In conclusion, the research paints a compelling narrative advocating for robust support of universal free school meals. Not only do these initiatives advance nutritional equity and student health, but they also stabilize school meal programs financially and socially, creating environments where all students can thrive without the burden of cost-related stigma or debt.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Impact of Deimplementing Universal Free School Meals: School Food Authority Perspectives
News Publication Date: October 15, 2025
Web References: DOI:10.1016/j.jneb.2025.06.001
References: Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
Image Credits: Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
Keywords: Universal Free School Meals, School Nutrition Programs, School Meal Debt, Student Stigma, Meal Participation, School Food Authorities, Nutrition Equity, Policy Deimplementation, Foodservice Revenues, Staffing Challenges
