Exploring the Evolution of the School Breakfast Program in America
The School Breakfast Program has transformed over decades, addressing child hunger and nutrition in schools across the U.S.
School Breakfast Program, Child Nutrition, Food Insecurity, United States, Healthy Meals
Washington: Free school breakfasts have been around for almost a century in the U.S. Schools are constantly finding new ways to help kids who struggle with food insecurity.
The School Breakfast Program is a federal initiative that provides meals in public and nonprofit private schools. In 2022, they served about 2.2 billion breakfasts, mostly to kids on free or reduced-price meal plans.
Kids can get these meals if their families earn less than 130% of the federal poverty level. If they earn between 130% and 185%, they can get reduced-price meals.
Since it started in 1966, the program has aimed to improve kids’ health and learning. But like many big federal programs, it has faced challenges in reaching all the kids who need it.
The program began as a pilot to help rural kids who worked in the fields before school. It quickly gained attention, and by 1968, it became a federal program with support from the USDA.
However, it didn’t meet everyone’s needs. The Black Panther Party started their own breakfast program in 1969 to fill gaps for Black children in cities. Despite its importance, the FBI tried to undermine it with misinformation and raids.
Women’s groups also pushed for change, leading to the program becoming permanent in 1975. The government began providing grants for meals that met nutrition standards.
Over time, more kids benefited, but spreading the word was slow. Participation increased when some states made it mandatory for high-need districts. By 1990, many schools offering lunch also provided breakfast.
In 2010, Michelle Obama updated nutrition standards and increased funding for these programs. The Community Eligibility Provision allowed free meals for all students in qualifying schools. By 2016, most schools offering lunch also provided breakfast.
Even with progress, there are still issues. For instance, New York City schools offer a lot of food, but budget cuts have made it tough. Rural areas face their own challenges with smaller budgets and higher food costs.
School meals are crucial in fighting child hunger, but some eligible families avoid them due to stigma. Advocacy groups argue that school food can be less healthy than fast food.
Food waste is another problem, with a significant amount of fruits and veggies going uneaten due to new requirements.
Today, schools are getting creative to ensure kids get breakfast. Some offer grab-and-go options or breakfast after the bell.
Participation dipped during the pandemic when schools closed, leaving many kids without meals. New policies helped, providing take-home meals and financial support to combat food insecurity.
The school lunch program is evolving, with new guidelines coming in 2025 to reduce added sugars and sodium in meals.
Universal school meals are becoming a reality, with several states enacting free meals for all kids. Many schools don’t want to return to charging for meals after seeing the benefits of providing free meals to everyone.
This article was originally published in Stacker.
Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn.
This story originally appeared on Link2Feed and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.