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The effect of universal free school meals on children’s food hardship

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  • Toossi, Saied

Abstract

In the United States, the federal government subsidized universal free school meals (UFSM) nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy ended in June 2022. In response, several state governments subsidized extensions of UFSM statewide into the 2022–2023 school year. I leverage variation in state extensions of UFSM to examine the policy’s impact on school meal participation and rates of food insufficiency. Using data from the Household Pulse Survey and a difference-in-differences approach, I find that children in states that did not extend UFSM were 12.6 percentage points less likely (38.3% reduction over the sample mean) to participate in school meal programs and 1.5 percentage points more likely (9.8% increase over the sample mean) to experience food insufficiency relative to those in states that did.

Suggested Citation

  • Toossi, Saied, 2024. "The effect of universal free school meals on children’s food hardship," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:124:y:2024:i:c:s0306919224000174
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102606
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Toossi, Saied, 2023. "Cost of School Meals and Households’ Difficulty Paying for Expenses: Evidence from the Household Pulse Survey," Economic Brief 340805, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Marcus, Michelle & Yewell, Katherine G., 2022. "The Effect of Free School Meals on Household Food Purchases: Evidence from the Community Eligibility Provision," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Valizadeh, Pourya & Ng, Shu Wen, 2020. "The New school food standards and nutrition of school children: Direct and Indirect Effect Analysis," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    4. Amy Ellen Schwartz & Michah W. Rothbart, 2020. "Let Them Eat Lunch: The Impact of Universal Free Meals on Student Performance," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(2), pages 376-410, March.
    5. Travis A. Smith & Eliza M. Mojduszka & Shun Chen, 2021. "Did the New School Meal Standards Improve the Overall Quality of Children's Diets?," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 1366-1384, December.
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    1. Agossadou, M. Arsene J. & Valizadeha, Pourya & Nayga Jr., Rodolfo M., 2025. "Impact of not Extending Universal Free School Meals on Households’ Purchase Composition, Diet Quality, and Food Insecurity," 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2025, Denver, CO 360889, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Jones, Jordan W. & Hashad, Reem, 2025. "The impacts of SNAP benefit reductions on participation: Evidence from emergency allotment expirations," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).

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