Food Access & Food Insecurity

Nutrition Policy Institute: Article

Evaluation of Universal School Meals in California

March 3, 2025
Research Brief • March 2025 • Download PDF (356 KB)BackgroundCalifornia’s landmark investment in free school meals for all K-12 students, beginning in school year 2022-23 following federal universal school meals (USM) during the pandemic, has enormous potential to improve nutrition for millions of…
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Food Insecurity

Nutrition Policy Institute's (NPI) research on the charitable food system has focused on the nutrition quality of charitable foods acquired and distributed by food banks. We have studied the culture, policies, and practices of food banks, and the trends in the nutrition quality of food bank inventory in…
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CalFresh Healthy Living Evaluation

The University of California’s Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) works in partnership with the California Department of Public Health and local health departments to evaluate CDPH’s portion of the CalFresh Healthy Living program.
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Children in cafeteria eating school meals. Photo credit: USDA.
Nutrition Policy Institute: Page

School Meals for All

California is among the first in the nation to adopt a universal school meals program, or school meals for all, offering breakfast and lunch to all TK-12 students at public and charter schools every instructional day, at no charge, regardless of household income. The University of California's Nutrition…
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Best of Science Letters

The Nutrition Policy Institute's mission is to conduct and translate policy-relevant research to transform environments for healthy children, families and communities. While federal agencies must solicit input via public comment periods, Best of Science Letters may be used to translate the evidence base to…
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Our Impact

NPI's research provides influential evidence that shapes federal, state and local nutrition programs. Since 2014, NPI has contributed to several program and policy wins! Read about our impact!
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Recursos

Este sitio contiene entrenamientos en línea, páginas de web, vídeos y hojas informativas del Instituto de Políticas de Nutrición y publicaciones de noticias en Español.
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Nuestro Impacto

La investigación del Instituto de Políticas de Nutrición (NPI) ofrece evidencia importante que tiene influencia en los programas de nutrición federales, estatales y locales. Desde 2014, NPI ha contribuido a varios logros de programas y políticas.
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Nutrition Policy Institute: Page

SMART-MEALS

Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, California was the first state in the nation to invest in providing school breakfast and lunch at no charge to all public and charter school students in grades TK-12, or School Meals for All. SMART-MEALS is School Meals for All Research and Trends: Measuring,…
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