More Than Half of Parents Express Their Child Wouldn't Have Enough to Eat Without School Meal Programs

New No Kid Hungry survey highlights the critical role of school meals as families struggle to afford groceries and prepare for the new school year.

[Media: For Photos & Assets, Click HERE]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New research released today by No Kid Hungry finds that more than half of parents (59%) say their child wouldn't have enough to eat if it weren't for the meals they receive during the school day, one of several findings highlighting the essential financial lifeline school meals provide for families across the country.

The data builds on research released in June 2026 that uncovers the mounting financial pressure and unthinkable tradeoffs parents living with low incomes are being forced to make on basic essentials like groceries, school supplies and household bills due to inflation and continually rising costs. Among the national sample of parents surveyed,* 83% report worrying about being able to buy all the food they usually would due to rising costs, and 70% are concerned about having to choose between paying bills and buying healthy food for their kids. This has forced many parents to experience food-related debt (68%) and make tough choices like putting off the payment of a utility bill (45%) or even skipping meals so their kids could eat (30%).

According to a surveyed parent from West Virginia, "With the food prices going up, I will not see my children go without food, so if I have to skip meals so my child can get their belly full, I will. I never thought we would be in a world where it was impossible to keep your kids fed when you work."

Other key findings released today include:

School meals bring families stability and alleviate back-to-school financial pressures

• An overwhelming majority (89%) indicate that school meals take some pressure off their family when it comes to feeding their children.
• 86% believe they give their child a sense of stability.
• 71% report that without school meals, it would be difficult for them to afford their child's school supplies.

School meals help kids thrive and improve school attendance

• 67% agree their children have a hard time concentrating from a lack of nutritious meals.
• 85% report that school meals help their child excel.
• 65% report school meals motivate their child to attend school regularly.

An in-depth look at the survey's key findings can be viewed HERE.

The research demonstrates the critical role school meals play in keeping kids fed and ready to learn. But historic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid threaten access to this program by causing some families who lose these benefits to also lose automatic eligibility for free school meals. They will have to apply, creating new barriers for schools and families and making it harder for schools to qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which gives schools an option to provide all students free school breakfast and lunch. This jeopardizes CEP in many communities that benefit the most.

"No parent should have to skip meals so their kids can eat. These are hard-working families that have been failed by an affordability crisis and a decimated safety net, said Anne Filipic, CEO of Share Our Strength, the organization behind No Kid Hungry. "Our research underscores the urgency to protect the nutrition programs that provide kids with the reliable food they need to help them focus in the classroom while giving parents one less impossible choice to make."

14 million kids in the U.S. are living with hunger, but No Kid Hungry is changing that by working with schools and communities across the country to make sure they have the resources and funds they need to strengthen nutrition programs like SNAP, school and summer meals to feed as many students as possible.

No Kid Hungry is proud to work with 16 participating brands to ensure all kids have access to the most important school supply this school year and every day, including: Fogo de Chão , Jack in the Box, Paris Baguette, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and Williams Sonoma.

To explore stories that illustrate these report findings, visit NoKidHungry.org/FamiliesReport.

*Methodology: Online survey of parents with children in grades 1–12 at 185% FPL or below, conducted May 2026. National sample: n=1,202; Hispanic oversample: n=377. Conducted by Marking for Change for No Kid Hungry.

About No Kid Hungry

No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

Media Contact: Georgina Seal, [email protected]

SOURCE No Kid Hungry