LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – During the pandemic, a program was put in place for all students to get free lunches at school regardless of their parents’ income. Congress had authorized the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to issue waivers for school nutrition programs. Those waivers expired June 30th.

Parents will now have to meet income guidelines once again as they did before the start of the pandemic in order for their children to qualify for free or discounted lunches. Meals cost parents about $3 to $5 a day which would add on a possible $100 to their budget every month if they are not eligible.

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Schools will be sending out applications at the beginning of the school year for parents to apply for the free and discounted school lunches and and many school districts also have online applications. If more than 20% of students qualify for reduced or free lunches, then the district is required to provide breakfast as well.

In order to qualify for free lunches, family income needs to be within 130% of the poverty line – $36,075 for a family of four. For reduced meals, they must be under 185% of the poverty line, which is $51,338 for a family of four.

Lunches in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, and some others, will remain free because there are so many low income households and with those living in poverty, that free meals have always been offered to kids in the school district.

Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow has a bill to extend the free meal waivers called “Support Kids Not Red Tape Act of 2022.” The bill would extend the waiver program through September of 2023.

There is some good news for kids who are eating the school’s food this year. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has issued three changes in their school nutrition standards: Kids are allowed more sodium content in their food, they can have 1% flavored milk instead of fat free and they are not stuck eating whole grains. These changes were made to
help with supply chain issues which will remain a problem into the foreseeable future.