Universal school meal programs in all U.S. states were funded by the federal government during school years 2020-2022 to abate heightened rates of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. California was the first state in the nation to continue funding universal school meals, and Nutrition Policy Institute researchers have been evaluating the impact since implementation began in school year 2022-2023. Their 2024 publication in the journal Nutrients—The Benefits and Challenges of Providing School Meals during the First Year of California’s Universal School Meal Policy as Reported by School Foodservice Professionals—was recently featured in the journal’s hot topics on nutritional inequality and public policy research, which highlights highly-cited papers. Additionally, the research team’s 2024 publication, Household Food Insecurity Is Associated with Parental Perceptions of and Student Participation in School Meals, is a candidate for the Nutrients Best Paper Award, granted annually to showcase high-quality publications of scientific significance and extensive influence. Winners will be announced online by the end of June 2026.
