News and Stories

News and Stories

Quality School Meals That Benefit All

In 2021, California became the first state in the nation to provide free breakfast and lunch to all K–12 students. Now we're building on that historic achievement with vital investments for school food infrastructure, staff training, and more freshly prepared, California-grown school meals.

Our Partners

The School Meals For All Coalition consists of more than 70 organizations representing education, health, agriculture, and food banks. We advocate for investments in school meals that fight child hunger, support rural and agricultural communities, help mitigate climate change, strengthen regional school food supply chains, and support school nutrition workers.

SMFA Sponsors Embark on Listening Tour

The School Meals For All sponsors are visiting school districts and farms across the state to spotlight successful nutrition programs and learn how we can continue to advocate on their behalf. Read More.

Priorities

Increase access to healthy school meals for all students

Strengthen connections between California farmers and schools

Incentivize school purchases from socially disadvantaged and climate-smart farmers

Enable school districts to serve more freshly prepared meals

Support student nutrition during school breaks and closures

California Makes Vital Investments In Free School Meals

California Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature have agreed to a 2022-23 budget that makes unparalleled investments in the future of our state’s school food system, totaling more than $2 billion in related programming, including:

$596 million to implement School Meals for All,
$600 million for school kitchen equipment and upgrades to school kitchen infrastructure for more fresh, minimally processed, and locally sourced meals,
$100 million for the California Department of Education, in consultation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, to implement school food best practices and develop eligibility criteria for California-grown, whole and minimally processed, sustainably grown foods, and plant-based or restricted diet food options that can be purchased by local educational agencies for school meals,
$611.8 million provided on an ongoing basis for enhanced school meal reimbursements through the state meal program,
$60 million in funding to expand the California Farm to School Grant program,
$45 million to support implementation of the California Healthy School Meals Pathway program for school food service workers, and
$2.4 million for evaluation of the California School Meals for All program.

Read Our Press Release

Latest News

School Food Chefs Learn to Plot Healthier Menus With a New Fellowship

With scratch cooking in schools still hard to achieve, the program is training school lunch leaders to leave the heat-and-serve model behind. By Anne Marshall-Chalmers Zena Martinez, a food-program specialist with the Glendale Union High School District in Glendale, Arizona, calls the spicy chicken patty she serves for lunch the “bane of her existence.” The […]

No more nuggets? School lunch goes farm-to-table — for some

By Jocelyn Gecker Jan 24, 2023 CONCORD, Calif. (AP) — As the fine-dining chef at her high school served samples of his newest recipes, Anahi Nava Flores gave her critique of a baguette sandwich with Toscano salami, organic Monterey Jack, arugula and a scratch-made basil spread: “This pesto aioli is good!” Classmate Kentaro Turner devoured […]

School Meals for All Celebration at LAUSD

On December 7th, Los Angeles Unified – the state’s largest school district – hosted California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Senator Maria Elena Durazo, Assemblymembers Luz Rivas and Miguel Santiago, and Kat Taylor along with members of the School Meals for All Coalition to celebrate and showcase California’s […]