Though pandemic-era universal school meal waivers expired June 30, the policy’s impact on the nation’s children is still being analyzed.
Recently released data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service shows food insecurity rates among children across race and ethnicity dropped between 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We know that matters would be far worse if not for the federal nutrition programs and the critical additional investments that were made to combat hunger during the pandemic,” said Luis Guardia, president of the Food Research & Action Center, in a statement. “The free school meals offered to all children, no matter their household income, also were a game-changer for stretching family budgets while fueling children’s health and learning.”
