Let's think big on free school meals

As this new school year opens let’s all work together to ensure free school meals for every child. No child should go hungry. As President Harry Truman said in 1946 when starting the National School Lunch Program “no nation is any healthier than its children.”

The National School Lunch and Breakfast programs provide free or reduced price meals for eligible kids. Some states have gone a step further and have passed universal free school breakfast and lunch legislation. More states are trying to follow.

When school meals are free for all kids, less time and cost is spent on paperwork to determine eligibility and more time focusing on nutrition. Free school meals ensure that no kid slips through the cracks of bureaucracy and falls into hunger.

“As a former teacher, I know that providing free breakfast and lunch for our students is one of the best investments we can make to lower costs, support Minnesota’s working families, and care for our young learners and the future of our state,” said Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota whose state provides universal free school meals.

In Connecticut the advocacy group School Meals 4 all CT says “Research shows us when meals are offered at no cost at school to everyone, there is less absenteeism, less bullying, and kids are prepared to learn.”

Universal free school meals is a family friendly policy and the whole country should participate. The Food Research and Action Center says “63% of voters nationwide support legislation that would make free school meals permanently available to all students.”

Our domestic and foreign policies are better off when child nutrition and school meals are a priority.

President Dwight Eisenhower, for example, followed up Truman’s initiative when starting a national school milk program in 1954. Eisenhower said “we have seen a remarkable increase in milk drinking by school children. This forward-looking program greatly benefits the health of our children and helps build a sturdier generation of young Americans.”

Likewise both Truman and Eisenhower saw meals as an important part of foreign policy. It was U.S. sponsored school meal programs in Europe that played a big role in post World War II recovery.

The Greatest Generation showed us that we can feed hungry children at home and overseas at the same time. You just need the heart and will.

Numerous countries are suffering from hunger because of war and climate change. Relief agencies like the U.N. World Food Program, CARE, Save the Children, and Catholic Relief Services are seeing a huge demand for school meals.

The United States should expand its support of school meals overseas by increasing funding for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program. The initiative provides school meals in impoverished countries.

Free school meals is good for America’s domestic and foreign policy. Prioritizing child nutrition and school meals is of great value to America and the world. For think of what a difference it makes for any country to eliminate child hunger and have healthy kids at school learning.

William Lambers is an author who partnered with the U.N. World Food Program on the book Ending World Hunger.