When School Meals Are No Longer Free: A Qualitative Exploration of Elementary School Teachers' Experiences and Perceptions.

OBJECTIVE

To explore teachers' perceptions of student hunger and behavior, school meal participation, food waste, family stress, supervision, and meal locations during a federal universal free school meals (UFSM) policy, comparing the 2021-2022 school year to the 2022-2023 school year.

METHODS

Twenty-five kindergarten through sixth-grade teachers participated in online interviews in 6 elementary schools in Anchorage, Alaska. Transcripts were analyzed using immersion/crystallization. Researchers coded data (k = 0.82) and identified recurring themes and domains.

RESULTS

During UFSM, teachers perceived reduced hunger and family stress but increased food waste. Classroom eating fostered community and improved behavior, despite clean-up challenges and lost planning time. Following UFSM deimplementation, teachers perceived declined participation, increased hunger, and anxiety about meal costs.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Teachers view UFSM as essential for student health and equity. Findings support sustained UFSM policies and integrating teacher perspectives into meal program design.