Pandemic offered a 'trial run' for free meals"The pandemic was a trial run and it worked," Crystal FitzSimons, FRAC's director of school and out-of-school time programs, said of the universal free school meals.
Inflationary pressures have since pushed up prices in many school districts, which have contended with higher costs for food and labor, said Diane Pratt-Heavner, a spokeswoman for the School Nutrition Association.
Since local school districts set their own prices, they can "vary widely" across the country, the School Nutrition Association said.
Loss of free meals may lead to hardshipIn 2021, the National School Lunch Program provided 2.2 billion meals, about 99% of which were at a free or reduced price, according to USDA data.
Kids from "food-insecure and marginally food-secure" households are more likely to eat school meals, according to the USDA.
Persons:
Crystal FitzSimons, FitzSimons, Diane Pratt, Saied Toossi
Organizations:
Agriculture Department, School Nutrition, School Nutrition Association, USDA, Sdi