By Nicole Melia and Melissa Froelich

Advocates for free breakfast for Pennsylvania school children went to the state capitol earlier this month to ask the legislature to consider a new bill for universal school meals including lunch.

What we feed our children makes a huge difference. It’s why there’s a diversity of voices speaking up. From food service directors to farmers and manufacturers. From parents to representatives of school districts. We all want to engage with legislators over the future of the way our young people eat in school.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The free breakfast program has had positive effects on academic performance and health. For the first two full school years of the pandemic, federal aid provided free breakfast and lunch for all Pennsylvania public school students. That ended in September 2022, but then-Gov. Tom Wolf extended free breakfast through the 2022-2023 school year. It allowed schools to serve even more students, ensuring they are well-nourished and better prepared to learn.

Breakfast participation has increased from 10% in 2018 to 34.4%. Most importantly, it is not only those students who would normally pay for meals who take part more when meals are free of charge. Participation of free-eligible students increased by 16% this school year, while free breakfast has been available for all students. We’ve reduced the stigma of free meals.

The benefits of the program are many. Research has linked participation in school meals to improved academic achievement, standardized test scores, and cognitive function. It has also been linked to improved attendance, which is positively linked to academic achievement. The program has also been successful in reducing food insecurity, which is linked to poor academic outcomes. The program has been successful in improving nutrition. It has also been successful in improving overall health and long-term health outcomes, as well as reducing obesity rates, anxiety, and depression amongst school children.

Research shows that school meals provide the best diet quality of all major food sources in the United States, without disparities for those of lower household income.

It’s about more than breakfast. According to the National Farm to School Network, nine states have now enacted universal meals policies, which provide free meals to all students regardless of household income. Additionally, 16 states have enacted policies that support local food purchasing in schools, such as local food incentive programs or grants for local food procurement.

Here in Pennsylvania, we have the chance to be at the forefront of this new movement. Despite the success of the free breakfast program, there is still hunger in Pennsylvania that needs to be addressed.

The annual Feeding America “Map the Meal Gap” study shows 29% of Pennsylvania children not eligible for free meals, due to income, still experience food insecurity. When you look across the state, 60% of students are now eligible for free or reduced- price meals. And that’s at an eligibility rate of $39,000 for a household of four people, which is very difficult to live on.

The United Way ALICE (Asset limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report from 2018 indicates that a family of four living in Pennsylvania would need at least $76,248 annually to cover basic expenses like housing, food, childcare, healthcare, and transportation. However, many households in the state earn less than this amount and struggle to make ends meet. The free breakfast program helps to alleviate some of the burden on these families by providing nutritious meals to their children.

In addition to the benefits to students and families, these programs also have economic benefits. They provide jobs for food service professionals and support local farmers and food producers. They also have the potential to boost the economy by improving academic achievement and reducing healthcare costs associated with poor nutrition.

Let’s make these programs part of the conversation about Pennsylvania’s future.

Nicole Melia is the Food Service Supervisor of the Great Valley School District in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Melissa Froelich is the Coordinator of School Nutrition Services at North Penn School District.