Universal free school meals

Key points

  • Universal school meal programs provide a free nutritious meal to all children. While a child’s age may determine eligibility, a free nutritious meal is available regardless of the family’s income or the community’s socio-economic status.
  • Universal school meals support health and learning, and can deliver environmental and economic outcomes through local food procurement.
  • Universal school meal programs are common throughout the world, and have been in existence for more than a century.

Universal school meal programs exist across the world. Finland, Sweden and Japan introduced national universal school meal policies around the time of the second world war to address child hunger and malnutrition [1, 2].

Brazil, India and South Korea have introduced universal school meals for all children over the past 20 years, while in England and Scotland, universal free school meals are available for children during the first three or the first five years of primary school respectively [1]. The Welsh Government introduced free school meals for all primary school children in 2024 [3], and in 2025, the Indonesian Government commenced the roll-out of a universal free school lunch program [4].

Benefits of universal free school meals

Universal free school meal programs support the health and wellbeing of children through improved diet quality and reduced food insecurity. They also deliver learning and education benefits with improved academic performance [5]. Universal free school meal programs reduce stigma, as all children can participate, rather than just those from low-income households [5].

School meal programs have potential to deliver environmental and economic outcomes by supporting local food producers (including through farm to school models), reducing food waste, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (by shifting to more plant-based menus) [2] [6].

School meal programs in Australia and New Zealand

Universal free school meal programs do not yet exist In Australia and New Zealand. However, pilot programs for free school meals are underway. A healthy school lunch model has been implemented in the most disadvantaged quartile of primary and secondary schools in New Zealand, reaching over 1000 schools [7]. A free school lunch program is being trialled for all students in 45 schools in Tasmania [8] [9] and in the Australian Capital Territory, the government is a trialling free school lunch program for all students in five schools [10].

  • [1] Cohen, J.F.W., et al., Universal free school meals: the future of school meal programmes? Lancet, 2023. 402(10405): p. 831-833

    [2] Oostindjer, M., et al., Are school meals a viable and sustainable tool to improve the healthiness and sustainability of children´s diet and food consumption? A cross-national comparative perspective. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2017. 57(18): p. 3942-3958

    [3] Welsh Government. Universal Primary Free School Meals. Available at https://www.gov.wales/universal-primary-free-school-meals-upfsm

    [4] Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. Indonesia’s Groundbreaking Government Program for Free, Nutritious School Meals. Available at https://www.milanurbanfoodpolicypact.org/indonesias-groundbreaking-government-program-for-free-nutritious-school-meals/

    [5] Cohen, J.F.W., et al., Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review. 2021. 13(3): p. 911

    [6] Poole, M.K., A.A. Musicus, and E.L. Kenney, Alignment Of US School Lunches With The EAT-Lancet Healthy Reference Diet’s Standards For Planetary Health. 2020. 39(12): p. 2144-2152

    [7] McKelvie-Sebileau, P., et al., Health, wellbeing and nutritional impacts after 2 years of free school meals in New Zealand. Health Promotion International, 2023. 38(4)

    [8] Galloway, C., et al., Beyond the lunchbox: Menu development guidelines for the Tasmanian School Lunch Project. Health Promot J Austr, 2025. 36(1): p. e871

    [9] School Food Matters. School Lunch Program. Available at https://www.schoolfoodmatters.org.au/school-lunch-program/

    [10] ACT Government. Meals in Schools pilot program begins. Available at https://www.act.gov.au/our-canberra/latest-news/2024/july/meals-in-schools-pilot-program-begins

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