Gov. Healey Just Launched a Major Plan to Change What Mass. Students Eat for Breakfast

An estimated 292,000 Massachusetts public school students participate in the taxpayer-funded free school breakfast program each day. That's about 303,000 fewer than the roughly 595,000 who utilize the free school lunch program. The Healey Administration is looking to close the gap.

Closing the Gap Between Free School Lunch and Breakfast

Governor Maura Healey has launched a new initiative to encourage more students to participate in the free breakfast program, urging local schools to achieve at least 60 percent participation.

The Strengthening School Breakfast Challenge seeks to make breakfast more accessible to students while incorporating more locally grown foods, such as fruits, grains, and proteins, into local school menus. The administration also asks schools to "expand scratch cooking and develop menus that reflect student preferences and feedback."

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Scratch Cooking, Local Farms, and Flexible Serving Strategies

"Every student deserves to start their school day with a healthy meal, and every family deserves a little breathing room in their grocery budget," Healey said in a statement.

"Strategies include offering breakfast at main school entrances, providing students with a second opportunity to eat breakfast during the school day, and promoting these options to students and families," according to Healey's official website.

Funding Universal Meals with $338M State Budget and Farm Grants

The Commonwealth has budgeted $338 million in the FY 2027 budget to "combat hunger and strengthen nutrition programs across Massachusetts."

The Universal Free School Meals program is permanently funded, "built directly into the state budget, ensuring all public school students already receive free breakfast and lunch regardless of household income."

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The Commonwealth has also allocated $750,000 for Farm & Food Access Grants to support Massachusetts farms and supply chains "to meet the challenge's 25 percent local-sourcing goal."

The program receives grants and "tools and resources" from such organizations as Project Bread, the Eos Foundation, and others.