A recent study published in the Journal of School Health has examined the connection between universal school meal policies and feelings of stigma among students. Universal school meal policies allow all students to receive free meals at school, regardless of their household income.
Researchers surveyed 1,066 middle and high school students during the 2022–2023 academic year across eight U.S. states—four with statewide universal meal policies and four without them. The study focused on self-reported embarrassment related to eating school lunch, which is considered a component of stigma.
The findings show that about 11.5% of students reported feeling embarrassed to eat school lunch. Students who experienced embarrassment participated in school lunch programs 11% less often than those who did not report such feelings. This reduction was even greater among students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, with a participation drop of 20%.
For lower-income students, those living in states with universal meal policies were less likely to feel embarrassed compared to their peers in states without such policies. However, higher-income students in universal meal states were more likely to report embarrassment, though this did not significantly affect their participation rates. When looking at all income groups together, these differences balanced out and no overall association was found between universal meal policy status and embarrassment.
The authors note that embarrassment is only one aspect of stigma and suggest further research is needed to understand how school meal policies affect student experiences more broadly. They also recommend that universal access should be paired with other strategies—such as improving the quality and appeal of meals, involving students in menu planning, and promoting positive messaging about inclusiveness—to better address stigma.
The research team included Dania Orta-Aleman, Monica D. Zuercher, Caitlin D. French, Lorrene Ritchie, and Wendi Gosliner from the Nutrition Policy Institute; Leah E. Chapman from Merrimack College; Marlene B. Schwartz from the Rudd Center for Policy and Health at the University of Connecticut; Anisha I. Patel from Stanford University’s Department of Pediatrics; and Juliana Cohen from Merrimack College and Harvard University. The study received funding from the California General Fund (SB170).
