Chef Ann Foundation Applauds New York for Becoming the Ninth State to Enact Universal School Meals

Today, New York State took a historic step to improve and protect children’s health by enacting universal school meals. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, every New York student will have access to free breakfast and lunch. This milestone will support the mental and physical health as well as the academic success of more than 2.7 million K–12 students across New York. The policy will also provide New York families important financial relief, with estimated savings of approximately $1,600 per child annually, and allow school food professionals to focus less on paperwork and more on producing healthy, scratch-cooked meals. 

In partnership with national and state policy coalitions — like the Healthy School Meals for All NY Kids coalition — the Chef Ann Foundation advocates for passing and funding universal meals in states across the country. We are thrilled to see the collective efforts of this advocacy in New York, led by Hunger Solutions New York and Community Food Advocates, come to fruition.

“Last night, the votes were cast to fully fund a universal school meal program in New York State, which was put into the budget by Governor Hochul. New York has now become the ninth state to offer free school meals. … I am one happy New Yorker and a very excited school food professional today!”

—Patrick Kenneally, Chef Ann Foundation Senior School Food Operations Specialist

At a time when federal funding for school meals faces an uncertain future, state-level efforts to secure access to school meals for all kids are especially critical. The federal government has recently cut over $1 billion in local food funding that supported school meal programs, and has canceled $5 million in farm-to-school funding in fiscal year 2025.

“Our schools should equally equip all kids with the foundation they need to succeed as learners and adults. We don’t divide kids according to their families’ household income levels when we provide transportation to and from school, books, and access to the nurse’s office. School meals are one of the most important school supplies — kids need access to nutritionally balanced meals every day so they can focus in the classroom. As a nation, we must stop perpetuating an outdated system of enforcing administratively burdensome and stigmatizing income-based divisions in school cafeterias that hurt kids, strain families, and take school food professionals away from their most important job — preparing nourishing and delicious meals. New York said no more and now joins a growing number of states setting an example for the nation.” 

—Mara Fleishman, CEO, Chef Ann Foundation