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Participation Trends for Full Price Meals in the National School Lunch Program

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  • Gregory Golino
  • Katherine Ralston
  • Joanne Guthrie

Abstract

Participation in USDA's National School Lunch Program has declined since 2011, driven by fewer full‐price lunch purchases among students not eligible for free or reduced‐price meals. Potential explanations include meal price increases for paying students and updated nutrition standards for meals following implementation of the Healthy Hunger‐Free Child Act, as well as macroeconomic factors. Longitudinal analyses of full‐price lunch participation at the state and local levels indicate household income and employment trends were significantly associated with participation trends, but lunch price increases and challenges some localities experienced implementing new nutrition standards may have played a role as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory Golino & Katherine Ralston & Joanne Guthrie, 2021. "Participation Trends for Full Price Meals in the National School Lunch Program," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(3), pages 1161-1175, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:43:y:2021:i:3:p:1161-1175
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13071
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    9. Lisa Dragoset & Anne Gordon, 2010. "Selecting Policy Indicators and Developing Simulation Models for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 4eedcfd47b3a4ddb9a43f86e1, Mathematica Policy Research.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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