Today is the first day of school and while kids might be nervous about meeting new teachers, classmates and getting their homework assignments in on time, there’s one thing they’ll no longer have to worry about: feeling hungry between classes. For the new school year, all public school students will receive free school lunches! The new “Free School Lunch for All” program grants 200,000 more students free lunch, which means all of NYC’s 1.1 million students will get to nosh on a variety of midday meals each day class is in session starting today.
Instead of dividing kids between those who receive free meals and those who have to pay a reduced price—the latter of which can bring a sense of embarrassment for some kids—every child will be eligible to eat school meals for free. Universal free breakfast has already been available for students and now kids can count on two nutritious meals a day even if the situation at home makes it difficult to have food on the table every evening. Getting food in those tummies in the cafeteria will later reap benefits in the classroom; it’s hard to focus when you’re too hungry to pay attention.
Parents are only requested that they fill out a School Meals Form by December 29 for federal funding purposes. Families with money still left in their MySchoolBucks account will receive a full refund.
Universal free school lunches means parents can save money while making sure their child is getting a good meal each day, but if you're looking for simple recipes you can make at home, check out our best breakfast ideas for kids, five easy school lunch ideas and family dinner ideas everyone will enjoy.