Universal Free Lunch: Why Not New Hampshire?
Saved in:
| Title: | Universal Free Lunch: Why Not New Hampshire? |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Delaney Hesler, University of New Hampshire (UNH), Carsey School of Public Policy |
| Source: | Carsey School of Public Policy. 2026. |
| Availability: | Carsey School of Public Policy. Huddleston Hall, 73 Main Street, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824. Tel: 603-862-2821; Fax: 603-862-3878. e-mail: carsey.school@unh.edu; Web site: http://carsey.unh.edu |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 6 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Lunch Programs, Program Implementation, Barriers, Public Schools, Financial Support, Breakfast Programs, Hunger |
| Geographic Terms: | New Hampshire, Maine |
| Abstract: | School lunch is an essential component of students' lives. Spending an average of 6.8 hours a day at school, students need food to fuel their learning. Along with many other states across the nation, most New Hampshire schools participate in the National School Lunch Program. This program provides federal reimbursements to schools for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Across all New Hampshire districts, an average of 23 percent of kids were eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the 2025-26 school year. However, in pockets of both rural and urban New Hampshire, rates far exceed the average. Some states are leading the charge in addressing childhood hunger through school meals. Maine is in its fifth year of providing free school meals for all. So, why not New Hampshire? The rise in funding cuts across the nation shows that no program is guaranteed, and school lunch may be at risk next. In this perspectives brief, author Delaney Hesler shares the results of a 2025 survey to assess local support in New Hampshire and Maine for universal free meals. She discusses the implementation of Maine's program, challenges for implementation in New Hampshire, and future threats to universal meals. She concludes that it's time for New Hampshire to follow suit with the eight other states in leading the nation in feeding our students. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED682104 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED682104 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: ED682104 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Report PubTypeId: report PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Universal Free Lunch: Why Not New Hampshire? – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Delaney+Hesler%22">Delaney Hesler</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22University+of+New+Hampshire+%28UNH%29%2C+Carsey+School+of+Public+Policy%22">University of New Hampshire (UNH), Carsey School of Public Policy</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Carsey+School+of+Public+Policy%22"><i>Carsey School of Public Policy</i></searchLink>. 2026. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Carsey School of Public Policy. Huddleston Hall, 73 Main Street, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824. Tel: 603-862-2821; Fax: 603-862-3878. e-mail: carsey.school@unh.edu; Web site: http://carsey.unh.edu – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: N – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 6 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lunch+Programs%22">Lunch Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Implementation%22">Program Implementation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Schools%22">Public Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Financial+Support%22">Financial Support</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Breakfast+Programs%22">Breakfast Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hunger%22">Hunger</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22New+Hampshire%22">New Hampshire</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Maine%22">Maine</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: School lunch is an essential component of students' lives. Spending an average of 6.8 hours a day at school, students need food to fuel their learning. Along with many other states across the nation, most New Hampshire schools participate in the National School Lunch Program. This program provides federal reimbursements to schools for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Across all New Hampshire districts, an average of 23 percent of kids were eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the 2025-26 school year. However, in pockets of both rural and urban New Hampshire, rates far exceed the average. Some states are leading the charge in addressing childhood hunger through school meals. Maine is in its fifth year of providing free school meals for all. So, why not New Hampshire? The rise in funding cuts across the nation shows that no program is guaranteed, and school lunch may be at risk next. In this perspectives brief, author Delaney Hesler shares the results of a 2025 survey to assess local support in New Hampshire and Maine for universal free meals. She discusses the implementation of Maine's program, challenges for implementation in New Hampshire, and future threats to universal meals. She concludes that it's time for New Hampshire to follow suit with the eight other states in leading the nation in feeding our students. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: ED682104 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED682104 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 6 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Lunch Programs Type: general – SubjectFull: Program Implementation Type: general – SubjectFull: Barriers Type: general – SubjectFull: Public Schools Type: general – SubjectFull: Financial Support Type: general – SubjectFull: Breakfast Programs Type: general – SubjectFull: Hunger Type: general – SubjectFull: New Hampshire Type: general – SubjectFull: Maine Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Universal Free Lunch: Why Not New Hampshire? Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: University of New Hampshire (UNH), Carsey School of Public Policy – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Delaney Hesler IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 12 M: 05 Type: published Y: 2026 Titles: – TitleFull: Carsey School of Public Policy Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
