More than two-thirds of U.S. schools say they're unable to afford the cost of student free lunch—and MAHA's dietary guidelines may make it worse.

The article focuses on the financial challenges facing U.S. public schools in sustaining free and reduced-cost meals amid updated dietary guidelines under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. Despite increased reimbursements, a majority of school nutrition directors report insufficient funding to cover the rising costs of meals, which now must comply with guidelines emphasizing whole foods and more protein. The Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act reduced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding, lowering schools’ reimbursement eligibility and exacerbating financial strain. Economists warn that without increased resources, schools may face staffing shortages, higher operational costs, and reduced meal coverage for students. [Extracted from the article]