State served 275 million school meals so far this school year

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a news conference, Feb. 20, 2025, in New York. Photo: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

STATEWIDE — STUDENTS IN NEW YORK STATE WERE SERVED A TOTAL OF 275 MILLION FREE SCHOOL MEALS during the first six months of the school year, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday, March 4, in Albany, as part of a National School Breakfast Week celebration.

Hochul’s Universal School Meals Program, launched earlier this year, ensures that every student in New York state has access to a healthy breakfast and lunch at school, creating more opportunities for students to succeed in their classwork. The program helped families statewide save up to $450 million per month on grocery costs and it eliminated the financial requirements to receive this benefit, thus relieving some families of the burden of being unable to afford school meals, according to the governor.

The Fiscal Year 2026 Enacted Budget included $340 million for school meals, a $160 million year-to-year increase, requiring all school districts, charter schools and nonpublic schools that participate in the national school lunch and breakfast program to provide free breakfast and lunch meals to all students regardless of their families’ income. Under this initiative, the state will pay the student’s share of costs for all meals served to those not already receiving free meals.

This historic initiative expands eligibility to an additional 280,000 students.

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