{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T02:56:54Z","timestamp":1792033014851,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"23","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764028800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>School meals are a cornerstone of the United States\u2019 nutrition safety net for children from low-income families, providing nearly 30 million lunches daily. However, recent U.S. policy actions may limit access to school meals for children who need them most. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act changed eligibility requirements to limit participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. School-age children enrolled in SNAP and Medicaid are automatically enrolled in school meal programs. Limiting participation in SNAP and Medicaid has the potential to significantly impact children\u2019s ability to receive nutritious school meals at low or no cost, will make it harder for schools to participate in community eligibility provision, and will increase the administrative burden on school staff and parents.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17233696","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T15:29:47Z","timestamp":1764084587000},"page":"3696","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["From Policy to Plate: Implications of 2025 U.S. Federal Policy Changes on School Meals"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Lindsey","family":"Reed","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Healthy Eating Research, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Megan Elsener","family":"Lott","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Healthy Eating Research, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mary","family":"Story","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Healthy Eating Research, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Hayes, C., and FitzSimons, C. (2025). The Reach of School Breakfast and Lunch During the 2023\u20132024 School Year, Food Research & Action Center. Available online: https:\/\/frac.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Reach-Report-2025.pdf."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) (2025, August 02). October 2024 Keydata Report, Available online: https:\/\/fns-prod.azureedge.us\/data\/october-2024-keydata-report."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Fox, M.K., Gearan, E., Cabili, C., Dotter, D., Niland, K., Washburn, L., Paxton, N., Olsho, L., LeClair, L., and Tran, V. (2025, August 02). School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study, Final Report Volume 4: Student Participation, Satisfaction, Plate Waste, and Dietary Intakes, Available online: https:\/\/fns-prod.azureedge.us\/sites\/default\/files\/resource-files\/SNMCS-Volume4.pdf."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Forrestal, S., Cabili, C., Dotter, D., Logan, C.W., Connor, P., Boyle, M., Enver, A., and Nissar, H.U.S. (2019). School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study, Final Report Volume 1: School Meal Program Operations and School Nutrition Environments, Project Officer: John Endahl."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e215262","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2021.5262","article-title":"Trends in Food Sources and Diet Quality Among US Children and Adults, 2003\u20132018","volume":"4","author":"Liu","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA Netw. Open"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jand.2019.10.022","article-title":"Updated nutrition standards have significantly improved the nutritional quality of school lunches and breakfasts","volume":"120","author":"Gearan","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Acad. Nutr. Diet"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jand.2019.10.021","article-title":"Documented Success and Future Potential of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act","volume":"120","author":"Cohen","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Acad. Nutr. Diet"},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Gearan, E., Fox, M.K., Niland, K., Dotter, D., Washburn, L., Connor, P., Olsho, L., and Wommak, T. (2019). School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study, Final Report Volume 2: Nutritional Characteristics of School Meals, Project Officer: John Endahl."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Forrestal, S., Potamites, E., Guthrie, J., and Paxton, N. (2021). Associations among Food Security, School Meal Participation, and Students\u2019 Diet Quality in the First School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study. Nutrients, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu13020307"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bardin, S., Washburn, L., and Gearan, E. (2020). Disparities in the healthfulness of school food environments and the nutritional quality of school lunches. Nutrients, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu12082375"},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"(2025, August 13). Tufts Now. Study Finds Americans Eat Food of Mostly Poor Nutritional Quality\u2014Except at School. Available online: https:\/\/now.tufts.edu\/2021\/04\/12\/study-finds-americans-eat-food-mostly-poor-nutritional-quality-except-school."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fox, M.K., Gearan, E.C., and Schwartz, C. (2021). Added sugars in school meals and the diets of school-age children. Nutrients, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu13020471"},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"USDA (2025, August 04). Farm to School Census, Available online: https:\/\/farmtoschoolcensus.fns.usda.gov\/."},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"Machata, N., Jennings, L., Morrison, H., and Boyle, M. (2024). 2023 Farm to School Census Report. Report Submitted to the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Decision Information Resources. Available online: https:\/\/fns-prod.azureedge.us\/sites\/default\/files\/resource-files\/2023FarmToSchoolCensusReport_v3.pdf."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (2025, August 04). Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, Available online: https:\/\/www.ams.usda.gov\/selling-food-to-usda\/lfs."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"National Farm to School Network (2025, August 04). Action Alert! USDA Terminates $660M Program for Local Food in Schools and Child Care. Available online: https:\/\/www.farmtoschool.org\/news-and-articles\/action-alert-usda-terminates-660m-program-for-local-food-in-schools-and-child-care."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Cohen, J., Chapman, L., Gombi-Vaca, M., Gosliner, W., Hecht, C., Hecht, K., Schwartz, M., Zuercher, M., Ritchie, L., and Research Brief: Current State of Processed Foods in Schools (2025, August 04). Healthy School Meals for All. Available online: https:\/\/www.childnourishlab.org\/healthy-school-meals-for-all."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e077310","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj-2023-077310","article-title":"Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: Umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses","volume":"384","author":"Lane","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e009892","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2015-009892","article-title":"Ultra-processed foods and added sugars in the US diet: Evidence from a nationally representative cross-sectional study","volume":"6","author":"Baraldi","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"519","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2021.10238","article-title":"Trends in Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods Among US Youths Aged 2\u201319 Years, 1999\u20132018","volume":"326","author":"Wang","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Food and Drug Administration, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (2025). Ultra-Processed Foods; Request for Information. Fed. Reg., 90, 35305. FR Doc. 2025-14089."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (2024, May 28). Added Sugars, Available online: https:\/\/www.fns.usda.gov\/cn\/school-nutrition-standards-updates\/added-sugars."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (2025, October 30). Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Available online: https:\/\/www.dietaryguidelines.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-12\/Scientific_Report_of_the_2025_Dietary_Guidelines_Advisory_Committee_508c.pdf."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Congress.gov (2025, August 04). H.R.1\u2014One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 119th Congress (2025\u20132026), Available online: https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/1."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cohen, J.F.W., Hecht, A.A., McLoughlin, G.M., Turner, L., and Schwartz, M.B. (2021). Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu13030911"},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"USDA Food and Nutrition Service (2025, August 04). Direct Certification in the National School Lunch Program: State Implementation Progress Report to Congress\u2014School Year 2015\u20132016 & School Year 2016\u20132017. October 2018, Available online: https:\/\/fns-prod.azureedge.us\/sites\/default\/files\/resource-files\/NSLPDirectCertification2016.pdf."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"FRAC (2025, October 30). Research Highlights the Benefits of Healthy School Meals for All Students: An Annotated Bibliography. Available online: https:\/\/frac.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/HSMFA-Annotated-Bibliography.pdf."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Hysom, E.K., and Bylander, A. (2025). Community Eligibility: The Key to Hunger-Free Schools\u2014School Year 2024\u20132025, Food Research & Action Center. Available online: https:\/\/frac.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/CEP-Report-2025.pdf."},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"Hecht, A., Dunn, C., Turner, L., Fleischhacker, S., Kenney, E., and Bleich, S. (2021). Improving Access to Free School Meals: Addressing Intersections Between Universal Free School Meal Approaches and Educational Funding, Healthy Eating Research. Available online: http:\/\/healthyeatingresearch.org."},{"key":"ref_30","unstructured":"U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (2025, October 30). School Meals Reimbursement Rates, Available online: https:\/\/www.fns.usda.gov\/schoolmeals\/reimbursement-rates."}],"container-title":["Nutrients"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/17\/23\/3696\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T15:41:38Z","timestamp":1764085298000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/17\/23\/3696"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"23","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]}},"alternative-id":["nu17233696"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/nu17233696","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-6643"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-6643","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]]}}}