The number of Michigan students eating breakfast and lunch at school is increasing dramatically

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – The number of Michigan public school students eating breakfast at school increased 26 percent last school year, while the number eating lunch increased 20 percent, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

The dramatic increase occurred in the first year that Michigan offered universal free breakfast and lunch to Michigan’s 1.4 million public school students. As a result, the number of students who had breakfast at school every day increased from 379 thousand to 477 thousand. The number of children who have lunch at school every day increased from 723 thousand to 867 thousand.

“Our children need healthy breakfasts and lunches to learn,” said State Superintendent Michael F. Rice. “Access to nutritious meals is good for the health of Michigan students and their academic performance. The Michigan School Meals Program supports Goal 3 of Michigan’s Top Ten Strategic Education Planto improve the health, safety and well-being of all students.”

The Michigan School Meals program combines federal and state funds to provide public school students with one free breakfast and one free lunch daily.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who signed the program, said: “We know it’s easier to focus on learning in the classroom with a full belly, and we believe that every child, no matter how much money the family has, deserves to to eat.”

Michigan is one of only eight states with a statewide free meal program. The others are California, Colorado, New Mexico, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Vermont.

“Michigan public schools received more than $200 million in government reimbursement for breakfast and lunch so they would be available to students at no cost,” said Dr. Diane Golzynski, Deputy Superintendent of Business, Health and Library Services for MDE. “This saves families money and time and improves student health.”

During the 2023-2024 school year, Michigan schools ordered more than 8 million boxes of food from Gordon Food Service of Michigan, up from just over 6.9 million boxes in 2022-2023.

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