Impact of Deimplementing Universal Free School Meals: School Food Authority Perspectives

To examine the impact of deimplementing universal free school meal (UFSM) policies on school food authorities (SFAs) vs continuing UFSM with state-level policies.

Cross-sectional study.

A total of 941 SFAs in 8 US states with and without UFSM policies completed a survey during the spring of 2023.

The SFA survey assessed school meal participation rates, foodservice revenues, staffing needs, administrative burdens, and student stigma and meal debt.

Chi-square tests (Test of homogeneity) and generalized estimating equation regression models clustering by state were used to examine differences by UFSM status (deimplementing vs continuing), adjusting for school demographic characteristics.

Compared with SFAs in states that continued UFSM, deimplementation of UFSM was associated with reported declines in school meal participation and foodservice revenues (73% reported declines with deimplementation vs 15% with UFSM policies; P < 0.001), as well as increases in school meal debt (76% vs 5%; P < 0.001) and stigma for students from low-income households (26% vs 5%; P < 0.001). States that deimplemented UFSM reported lower foodservice staffing challenges, potentially because of the lower participation rates.

Overall, the results of this study suggest that deimplementing UFSM is adversely impacting SFAs and students. Policies to reimplement UFSM could help reduce stigma and meal debt, as well as provide more students access to healthy meals and better nutrition. Strategies to support states with UFSM-including more ways to address current staffing challenges/shortages-are needed.