The American Heart Association is urging Michigan lawmakers to approve legislation that would make free breakfast and lunch for pre-K through 12 students in public schools permanent.
The Michigan Legislature this year approved the free lunches, but Senate Bill 500 would require that funding be set aside every year for the program.
American Heart Association West Michigan spokesperson Matt Johnson tells us research shows kids are healthier when their meals meet federal nutrition standards.
“We find that there is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease among young people who face obesity, and we know that there is research that shows that students who eat meals in schools, those meals are healthier than the meals that are brought from home,” Johnson said. “The federal nutrition standards and guidelines require that the meals in schools contain a fruit and a vegetable, a healthy protein and milk.”
Johnson says during COVID, many children received free school lunches, and it resulted in better health outcomes and better attendance.
The cost of the free lunches for all students this year is $160 million. The American Heart Association says it’s worth it.
If the Legislature makes the free lunches permanent, Michigan will become the ninth state to do so.
Senate Bill500 was just introduced this month.
