Abstract
School lunch is an essential component of students’ lives. Spending an average of 6.8 hours a day at school, students need food to fuel their learning. Along with many other states across the nation, most New Hampshire schools participate in the National School Lunch Program. This program provides federal reimbursements to schools for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Across all New Hampshire districts, an average of 23 percent of kids were eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the 2025–26 school year. However, in pockets of both rural and urban New Hampshire, rates far exceed the average.
Some states are leading the charge in addressing childhood hunger through school meals. Maine is in its fifth year of providing free school meals for all. So, why not New Hampshire? The rise in funding cuts across the nation shows that no program is guaranteed, and school lunch may be at risk next.
In this perspectives brief, author Delaney Hesler shares the results of a 2025 survey to assess local support in New Hampshire and Maine for universal free meals. She discusses the implementation of Maine’s program, challenges for implementation in New Hampshire, and future threats to universal meals. She concludes that it’s time for New Hampshire to follow suit with the eight other states in leading the nation in feeding our students.
Department
Carsey School of Public Policy
Publication Date
5-12-2026
Publisher
Durham, N.H.: Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Hesler, Delaney, "Universal Free Lunch: Why Not New Hampshire?" (2026). Carsey Publications. 573.
https://scholars.unh.edu/carsey/573
Rights
© 2026 University of New Hampshire. All rights reserved.