To reveal students' experiences and perspectives related to Universal School Meals (USM) under the federal coronavirus disease 2019 waivers during school years 2021-22. Qualitative; 17 focus groups in June-July 2022. Virtual; students from 9 California regions in public and charter schools. 67 students (n = 31 in high school, n = 36 in middle school) from a racially and economically diverse sample. Students' perceived benefits and drawbacks of USM. Thematic analysis using an immersion-crystallization approach. Students appreciated USM for increasing school meals' accessibility, promoting food security by financially supporting families, reducing the stigma associated with school meals, simplifying the payment system, and enhancing school meals convenience. An increase in school meal participation was observed. However, concerns emerged regarding a perceived decline in food quality and quantity and increased food waste. Universal School Meals showed promise in increasing access to meals, reducing food insecurity, stigma, and increasing participation. Addressing food quality, quantity, and waste concerns is critical for its sustained success. Policymakers need to advocate for the expansion and continuous refinement of USM, prioritizing stakeholder feedback. Ensuring adequate funding to balance meal quality and quantity while minimizing waste is essential for an adequate school meal policy.

Purpose. To examine factors associated with food insecurity among urban older adults (65 years and older). Methods. Three hundred and fifty two older adults attending community centers in a neighborhood of Mexico City were surveyed for food insecurity, functional impairments, health and mental health status, cash-transfer assistance, socio-demographic characteristics, social isolation, and the built food environment. Results. Having at least primary education and receiving cash-transfers were significantly associated with a lower probability of being moderately-severely food insecure (OR=0.478 and 0.597, respectively). The probability of moderate-severe food insecurity was significantly higher among elderly at risk of depression (OR=2.843), those with at least one activity of daily living impaired (OR=2.177) and those with at least one instrumental activity of daily living impaired (OR=1.785). Conclusions. Higher educational attainment and cash-transfers may have a positive influence on reducing food insecurity. Depression and functional limitations may increase the likelihood of food insecurity among older adults.

Parental perceptions of school meals can affect student participation and overall support for school meal policies. Little is known about parental school meal perceptions under universal free school meals (UFSM) policies. We assessed California parents' perceptions of school meals during the COVID-19 emergency response with federally funded UFSM and whether perceptions differed by race/ethnicity. Among 1110 California parents of K–12 students, most reported school meals benefit their families, saving them money (81.6%), time (79.2%), and stress (75.0%). Few reported that their child would be embarrassed to eat school meals (11.7%), but more parents of White students than Hispanic students reported this. Many parents reported that their child likes to eat lunch to be with friends (64.7%); about half felt their child has enough time to eat (54.2%). Fewer parents perceived school lunches to be of good quality (36.9%), tasty (39.6%), or healthy (44.0%). Parents of Hispanic and Asian students had less favorable perceptions of school meal quality, taste, and healthfulness than parents of White students. Parents report that school meals benefit their families, but policy efforts are needed to ensure schools have the resources needed to address cultural appropriateness. Schools should address parental perceptions of meals to optimize participation, nutrition security, and health.

To evaluate if parent perceptions of school meals influence student participation. In May 2022, an online survey was used to evaluate parents' perceptions of school meals and their children's participation. A total of 1,110 California parents of kindergarten through 12th-grade students. Student participation in school lunch and breakfast. Principal component analysis and Poisson regression models. Three groups of parental perceptions were identified: (1) positive perceptions (eg, liking school meals and thinking that they are tasty and healthy), (2) perceived benefits to families (eg, school meals save families money, time, and stress), and (3) negative (eg, concerns about the amount of sugar in school meals and stigma). More positive parental perceptions about school meals and their benefits to families were associated with greater student meal participation. In contrast, more negative parental perceptions were associated with reduced student participation in school meals (P < 0.05). Parent perceptions of school meals may affect student participation in school meal programs. Working to ensure parents are familiar with the healthfulness and quality of school meals and the efforts schools are making to provide high-quality, appealing meals may be critical for increasing school meal participation rates.

States in the U.S. are newly implementing universal school meal (USM) policies, yet little is known about the facilitators of their success and the challenges they confront. This study evaluated the challenges and facilitators faced by school food authorities (SFAs) implementing California’s universal school meal (USM) policy during its inaugural year (2022–2023) using an online survey. In March 2023, 430 SFAs reported many benefits, including increased meal participation (64.2% of SFAs) and revenues (65.7%), reduced meal debt (41.8%) and stigma (30.9%), and improved meal quality (44.3%) and staff salaries (36.9%). Reported challenges include product/ingredient availability (80.9%), staffing shortages (77.0%), vendor/distributor logistics issues (75.9%), and administrative burden (74.9%). Top facilitators included state funding (78.2%) and increased federal reimbursement (77.2%). SFAs with fewer students eligible for free or reduced-price meals (as opposed to SFAs with more) reported greater increases in meal participation and reductions in stigma but also more administrative burdens. Larger SFAs reported greater increases in revenues, staff salaries, and improvements in meal quality than smaller SFAs but also more challenges. Overall, California’s USM policy has enhanced student access to healthy meals while mitigating social and financial barriers. Understanding California’s experience can inform other jurisdictions considering or implementing similar policies.

Food insecurity disproportionately affects U.S. households with children, causing adverse health and developmental outcomes. During COVID-19, federal waivers enabled free meals for all K-12 students, but these waivers expired in 2022. Subsequently, some states adopted their own School Meals for All policies. This study examined whether households in states with School Meals for All policies experienced lower food insecurity than those in states reverting to means-tested programs and whether associations varied by family income. A cross-sectional survey of 3,377 caregivers from 8 states (4 with School Meals for All policies, 4 without) was conducted in spring/summer 2023 and analyzed in 2024. Household food security was measured with the U.S. Department of Agriculture 5-item module. Generalized estimating equation models estimated the association of School Meals for All with food insecurity, adjusting for sociodemographic factors, prepolicy county-level food insecurity data, and state-level clustering. Interaction terms tested differential effects by free and reduced-price meal eligibility. Households in School Meals for All states had a 12% lower prevalence of food insecurity than those without School Meals for All (adjusted prevalence ratio=0.88; 95% CI=0.82, 0.94). This association was most pronounced among households eligible for free meals (19% lower prevalence; adjusted prevalence ratio=0.81; 95% CI=0.76, 0.86) and those near free and reduced-price meal eligibility thresholds (adjusted prevalence ratio=0.82; 95% CI=0.67, 0.98). Statewide School Meals for All policies were associated with lower household food insecurity, particularly among those with low or near-low income. These findings support School Meals for All as a strategy to reduce food insecurity and suggest that expanding School Meals for All could further benefit families with school-aged children. Future research should assess School Meals for All's long-term impacts.