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The future of free breakfast and lunch in Michigan Public Schools is at risk. Free school breakfast and lunch have been provided through the Michigan Free Meals for All program. It is funded through the state of Michigan’s annual School Aid Budget. The legislature has not provided details on how much funding will be given to districts to support the Free Meals for All program.
School districts must submit their budgets for the upcoming school year by July 1st. The Michigan legislators are not constrained by this deadline. As of August 13th, there is no school aid budget in sight. If one is not passed by October 1st, there will be a government shutdown. Some districts have been forced to make a budget for the upcoming school year without knowing if any funding will be available for school meals, hiring new staff, or eliminating transportation routes.
The Food Research & Action Center provides 10 reasons to support free school meals for all. Access to a wide variety of foods at school improves student health, reduces food insecurity, and childhood hunger. In 2021, a report from the USDA found that food insecurity is on the rise. In Michigan, food insecurity impacts over a million people.
They make an economic case for providing free meals because it eliminates lunch debt and the administrative burden of completing and submitting paperwork to verify student eligibility in the free and reduced lunch program. The cost of food is rising. With increasing inflation costs and the impact of tariffs, the price of food is expected to increase.
The CDC has stated that eating “breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores.” Some students are motivated to attend school on time for free breakfast.
As a parent, I have appreciated the free school meals program because it saves me the time I would have spent packing a lunch or serving breakfast. It also enabled my children to have more choice in their meal options. There were some mornings when my elementary school-aged child would get out of bed, excited for what was being served for lunch that day at school.
Some districts, like Okemos, have already cut the free breakfast and lunch program due to lack of funding. In Saline, the Free Meals for All program is funded through September 30th 2025. After that date, funding is uncertain.
The Michigan free school meals program started in the 2023-2024 school year and continued through the 24-25 school year. The need for this program was identified in Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plans in their goals section, “Improve the health, safety, and wellness of all learners”
Eliminating free school meals will have an impact on Michigan’s economy and agriculture. Michigan offers schools the option to participate in the 10-cents a Meal program. This allows schools to purchase fresh, local produce at an additional cost of 10-cents per meal. Removing this low rate for fresh produce will take money away from farmers and reduce access to fresh local fruits and vegetables for students.
During a time of extreme polarization, 60% of “U.S. adults favor providing all students with free lunch at school, and a similar share, 57%, think all students should have access to free breakfast.” Free school meals benefit students, families, and farmers. When ALL kids have access to free meals at schools, it eliminates the stigma that is often associated with students who receive free or reduced lunch.
Saline Area Schools is “Families who qualify for free and reduced meals should still complete the 25-26 School Meals EBT application, which helps ensure ongoing state funding and can qualify our school or community for other special programs like free summer meals. Parents or guardians can submit confidential applications online. - https://www.salineschools.org/departments/operations-center/food-service/
More News from Saline
- Saline City Council Candidate Forum at Saline District Library Six candidates for Saline City Council are scheduled to attend a candidate forum organized by the League of Women Voters on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at the Saline District Library.
- Saline Area School’s Teachers Reach New Collective Bargaining Agreement Saline Area Teachers Reach New Collective Bargaining Agreement after months of negotiations.
