LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The cost for “free” school lunch and breakfast for all PreK-12 students comes to about $200 million a year.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the education budget into law on Oct. 7 that included free (taxpayer funded) school lunches for all.

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During budget negotiations, Democrats continually made reference that if the free school meals weren’t provided, school children would go hungry.

But free school meals are not the only safety net the government provides families.

The federal government provides food assistance to Michigan families via the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), once referred to as food stamps.

The state issues $258.5 million a month in SNAP benefits, or $3.1 billion a year to low-income families.

The maximum SNAP benefit for a family of four in 2024-25 was $994 per month. The most for a single person was $298 a month. A family of four with a monthly net income (after taxes) of $2,000 per month would receive $394 a month.