The free school meal program was launched to fight malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies in #school kids. It was also created to help kids from low-income families eat a balanced meal at least once in a day. The program was sponsored by various school districts in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). There have been many calls from parents and other stakeholders to make school meals free for all students. Before now, school meals were #free for some students, subsidized for others, and some students had to pay full price for theirs. These calls were made to avoid a situation known as "lunch shaming," where students who cannot afford to pay for school meals are made to eat different food.

If school meals are made free for all students, it may cause a decrease in the quality of food served. This is because we have no assurance that there will be a corresponding increase in the budget for the school meal program. With the budget potentially remaining static and no room for input from the students, the quality of meals served will reduce, in order to cater to all students evenly. Whenever possible, it would be better for parents and guardians to pay for their children's meals. This is the best method to ensure their kids are served balanced-diet meals during the school day. One of the main purposes of the school meal program is to ensure that kids get the nutrients they need to aid their growth and development, and reducing the quality of food to provide for free meals will hamper the growth and development of the kids who really need it.

Kids from low-income families who cannot afford to pay for their meals need to be identified so that we know how many are being provided with free food. We need to know this so that we can find better ways to help the people who are most in need. Students from middle and high-income families who can afford to pay for their meals should have to pay. This will bring a balance to the program, and also ensure kids get meals that they prefer. The importance of a highly-nutritious meal in kids should not be overlooked just because of the need to make meals free for all.

Overall, while it may look good from the outside, this issue should be considered more thoroughly in order to ensure its genuine success. Though the word ‘free’ may be enticing and charming, those in charge should deliberate more extensively on the implications of their actions, and how the students may actually be affected. Nutrition is important - and that is why free meals should be provided to those who actually need them.