Universal school meals emerged out of pandemic-era waivers designed to help feed hungry children during the crisis. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) waivers allowed all K-12 students, rather than only those eligible for free and reduced-price meals, to get free school breakfast and lunch no matter their family’s income from March 2020 through the 2021-22 school year. 

With those waivers set to expire June 30, 2022, school nutrition advocates had urged Congress for an extension in the federal fiscal 2022 spending bill. But that didn’t happen, as an appropriations bill without the waivers passed the House Wednesday night (3/9/22) and then the Senate Thursday night (3/10/22). The bill now awaits President Joe Biden’s signature.

Not only will universal school meals come to a screeching halt this summer, but schools will also lose flexibilities and increased reimbursement rates that USDA provided through other waivers to help district nutrition programs cope with supply chain woes. 

The cost for Congress to continue USDA’s waiver authority in this spending bill was estimated at $11 billion, Politico reported. 

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