Heinrich, Kim Introduce Legislation to Address Rising Costs of School Meals, Help End Childhood Hunger in America

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, and U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.) introduced the Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act, legislation to make it easier for students to access quality, nutritious school meals.

School meals help shape lifelong healthy eating habits, and research shows that students who participate in school meal programs have better overall diet quality than nonparticipants. But as the cost of food and equipment continues to rise, school districts are struggling to keep up. The Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act will give school districts the certainty they need to strengthen their meal programs, provide nutritious meals to students, and plan for the future.

"New Mexico has shown that when we make healthy school meals available to every student, we give kids a better chance to focus, learn, and succeed. But schools across the country are facing a financial crisis, with the skyrocketing cost of food, equipment, and labor making it harder to put nutritious meals on the table. My Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act will give schools the resources and certainty they need to serve healthy meals, buy more food from local farmers, and make sure every kid in America has the food they need to learn and thrive," said Heinrich.

"Kids can't learn if they're hungry, and our schools can't get them nutritious food if they're struggling with stretched budgets. As a parent, I know there's nothing more important than being there for your kid; as a Senator, I know there's nothing more important than using our voice to stand up for all kids. I'm proud to work with Senator Heinrich to introduce this bill and hope our colleagues join us in standing up for America's kids," said Kim.

Under federal law, approximately 71% of all New Mexican students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. New Mexico enacted universal free school meals in 2023 when Senate Bill 4 was signed into law, which covers the cost of universal school meals after federal reimbursements to ensure all students receive free meals.

In the School Nutrition Association's School Year (SY) 2025-26 School Nutrition Trends Report, nearly all respondents reported challenges related to costs. 99% of respondents cited the need for more funding for their programs with 98% reporting challenges with the cost of food; 95% reported challenges with the cost of labor; and 95% also reported challenges with the cost of equipment. Additionally, over half of respondents shared that they have "serious concern" about the financial sustainability of their program in three years.

A new report found that meal revenues - including federal reimbursements, paid meals, and à la carte sales - covered only an average of 81% of program expenses. A July 2026 report also revealed that 35% of school meal programs operated at a deficit at the end of the 2023-24 school year, nearly double the 18% reported in 2021-22.

The Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act permanently increases the federal reimbursement level for all free, reduced-price, and paid-rate school meals by 45 cents for every lunch served and 28 cents for every breakfast served, with a yearly adjustment- making it easier for school districts to provide healthy meals to students.

The full text of the bill is here.

This legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Cory Booker (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.).

The Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act has the support of more than a dozen organizations in New Mexico and across the country, including the School Nutrition Association, New Mexico School Nutrition Association, New Mexico Appleseed, Roadrunner Food Bank, Farm to Table New Mexico, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Urban School Food Alliance, New Mexico Voices for Children, Chef Ann Foundation, National Farm to School Network, American Heart Association, National Education Association, National Education Association-NM, Superintendent of Santa Fe Public Schools, Food Research & Action Center, and National Parent Teacher Association, Share Our Strength - No Kid Hungry campaign.

"With prices rising for everything from fresh produce to kitchen equipment and skilled labor, federal reimbursements no longer cover the cost of preparing healthy school meals," said School Nutrition Association President Ashley Powell, PhD, RD, FAND, SNS. "To meet updated federal nutrition standards, schools need additional funds to purchase more fresh, whole foods and invest in kitchen upgrades and culinary training. The Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act will ensure school meal programs have the necessary resources to fuel students for success in and out of the classroom."

"The New Mexico School Nutrition Association proudly supports Senator Martin Heinrich's Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act. School nutrition professionals across our state see firsthand how critical a well-nourished day is to a child's ability to focus, learn, and grow. By permanently increasing federal reimbursement rates for school meals, this legislation provides our school food authorities with the vital resources they need to combat rising food costs, enhance daily menus, and successfully sustain New Mexico's commitment to universal free school meals. We applaud Senator Heinrich's continued leadership in ensuring that no child has to face the school day on an empty stomach," said New Mexico School Nutrition Association Legislative Chair and Director of Student Nutrition at Hobbs Municipal Schools Sonya Moore, SNS.

"Roadrunner Food Bank is once again honored and committed to endorse Senator Heinrich's Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act. We believe that every child should have consistent access to the nutritious meals they need to be successful in school and in life. By increasing reimbursement for school breakfasts and lunches, this legislation will help reduce childhood food insecurity in every state. It will also help strengthen New Mexico's own groundbreaking universal school meals program," said Roadrunner Food Bank President and CEO Dana Yost.

"One of the most powerful tools we have in education is the USDA school meal program. It is an evidence-based antidote to chronic absenteeism, low academic performance, and disruptive classroom behavior. USDA school meals provide critical nutrition to children for brain growth, focus, and behavior at school. Ample research shows that there is a high correlation between USDA school breakfast and lunch with higher test scores, improved attendance rates and even better behavior in class. We are grateful to Senator Heinrich for making sure kids cannot just show up to school, but thrive when they are there," said Child Poverty Expert and Founder of New Mexico Appleseed Jennifer Ramo.

"As one of the first states to provide healthy school meals to every student, we know the significant value of federal meal reimbursements through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. With federal cuts impacting SNAP enrollment and rising costs of food, it's more important than ever to increase the reimbursements for school meal programs so we can continue to keep our students fed and ready to learn," said Director of Policy at New Mexico Voices for Children Emily Wildau.

"Every child deserves to come to school ready to learn, and we know that is much harder when a child is hungry," said Superintendent of Santa Fe Public Schools Dr. Christine Griffin. "At SFPS, we see every day the difference healthy school meals make for our students and families. Universal school meals remove one more barrier for students, ease some of the financial pressure on families, and allow our kids to focus on learning instead of worrying about their next meal. We appreciate Senator Martin Heinrich's continued support for school nutrition programs and his understanding that taking care of our students is an important part of helping them succeed."

"Increasing investment in school meals is one of the best ways to ensure every kid gets the nutrition they need to thrive, and that school nutrition professionals have the resources to do the local purchasing and healthy menu planning they strive for," said National Farm to School Network Executive Director Jessica Gudmundson.

"Schools want to cook healthier food for students, but the outdated federal meal reimbursement rate is holding them back," said Chef Ann Foundation CEO and Co-Founder Mara Fleishman. "Raising this rate is the most direct way we can help all schools in every state unlock better meals for kids and fairer wages for our essential school food professionals. We believe passing this legislation is an absolutely necessary step toward prioritizing children's health in America, and we're grateful to Senator Heinrich for championing this critical effort."

"Healthy school meals are an investment in student success. By increasing federal reimbursements, the Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act would provide schools with more resources to keep pace with the growing demand for school meals and help ensure children have the nutrition they need for their health and learning. We applaud Sen. Heinrich for reintroducing this bill and urge Members of Congress to co-sponsor this important legislation that would fuel bright futures for our nation's children," said President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) Crystal FitzSimons.

"For students to achieve their academic dreams, school breakfasts and lunches are as essential as reading and math. As schools face pressure from rising costs, they need more resources to continue providing the healthy food that families can count on," said Director for Share Our Strength and Its No Kid Hungry Campaign Claire Borzne. "Increasing the federal reimbursement rate for meals is an investment in our future that will help schools continue to prepare meals that fuel kids so that they can learn, grow and thrive."

"Students cannot learn without adequate nutrition and for far too many children, school meals are a necessity and often the most nutritious meals they receive," said Dr. Bill Datema, president of National PTA. "Our association applauds Senator Heinrich for reintroducing the Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act. Federal investments are critical to help schools feed students breakfast and lunch and provide healthier options."

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