Teachers noticed an increase in students’ hunger and anxiety, leading to poorer focus and more frequent behavioral issues, following the end of a pandemic-era policy providing free school meals.
Researchers interviewed 25 elementary school teachers in Alaska’s Anchorage School District about the impacts of COVID-era universal free school meals, or USFM, which ended in 2022. The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, focused on teachers, “uniquely poised to observe the direct effects of school meal programs, as they witness how student hunger may influence behavior and learning in the classroom.”
Teachers comparing the 2021-2022 school year with 2022-2023 reported reduced hunger and family stress when universal free meals were served. Students didn’t worry about paying for meals, but they generated more waste when they didn’t like the food.
Teachers also preferred the pandemic shift to eating in classrooms, which were more peaceful and conducive to community building than chaotic lunchrooms. Spending time with students during lunch improved student-teacher relationships. However, teachers also noted less time for lesson planning and messier classrooms.
Teachers noted lower participation in meals when the free program ended, leaving students unable to focus and more likely to misbehave. Teachers noted that meals packed from home were less nutritious, often containing more sugary and processed foods.
Teachers also felt a disproportionate burden to provide snacks to hungry students who could not afford meals. Ultimately, teachers saw no benefits to discontinuing free meals.
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