Families Could Face $2,200 More in Food Costs if They Lose SNAP Benefits
Changes to federal food assistance are starting to reach school cafeterias across the U.S. A new round of estimates shows families could see higher meal costs this school year if children lose access to free breakfast and lunch after losing SNAP benefits.
SNAP changes are already affecting school meal access
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said 4.5 million people, including 1.5 million children, have lost SNAP benefits since the tax-and-spending law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was enacted in July 2025. Because children in SNAP households are automatically eligible for free school meals, losing those benefits can also end that direct school meal access. The Urban Institute previously estimated that about 18.3 million students nationwide could lose access to free school meals.
The added household cost could be significant. The Center for American Progress estimated that a typical family with two children in school could pay about $2,200 more for food during the academic year without free school meals. The School Nutrition Association also said unpaid meal debt at schools reached $25.3 million last year, up 25% from 2024.
Florida offers an early example, but the full national reach is still unclear
In Florida, Miami-Dade County Public Schools said on July 23 that it would scale back free breakfast and lunch because many schools no longer qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision. Luis Diaz, the district’s chief operating officer, told the Miami Herald that the district would use a 30-day grace period to keep lunches free. After that, lunch will cost $4.20 per child.
About 121 schools in the district will still qualify for free meals through CEP, while roughly 400 schools had offered meals at no charge over the past four years. A full state-by-state list of affected districts has not been publicly released. What is confirmed is that SNAP enrollment in Florida has fallen by almost 20% since the law was signed in July 2025, according to a CBPP analysis.
The pressure comes from eligibility rules, paperwork, and higher food prices
The school meal effect is tied to two confirmed changes. First, students who lose SNAP also lose automatic eligibility for free school meals. Second, fewer children on SNAP can keep entire school districts from meeting the threshold for CEP, the federal option created under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 that allows high-poverty schools to serve free meals to all students.
Some children may still qualify if parents file an income application. Diane Pratt-Heavner of the School Nutrition Association said families of four earning below $42,900 remain eligible for free school meals, but the paperwork can be difficult for households juggling multiple jobs or uneven income. Food prices are also 21% higher than in January 2022, according to the CBS News Price Tracker, adding more pressure as districts prepare for the school year.
