Colorado's Healthy Meals for All program sees dramatic increase in daily meals served - Colorado Community Media (2024)

On any given day, as many as 400 students pass through Andrea Cisneros’s lunch line at West Woods Elementary in Arvada. Depending on the meal, that number is roughly 100-200 more than she’s used to serving in prior years.

The increased demand is due to the voter-approved Healthy School Meals for All initiative run by the Colorado Department of Education. The program allows all students access to free school meals regardless of family income.

When the bill passed, many speculated more students would take advantage of the program because it would reduce the stigma associated with qualifying for free or reduced lunch and eliminate financial constraints for others. Yet, no one knew for sure.

After five months, the verdict is in. Ellie Agar, director of communications for Hunger-Free Colorado, the organization that led the campaign to pass the HSMA program, confirmed schools are seeing an average increase of 30-40% in lunch and breakfast participation.

“The increase is even higher among students who previously didn’t participate in free or reduced-priced lunch either due to income or stigma,” Agar said.

Cisneros, kitchen manager and 23-year Jefferson County school district veteran said she sees the impact on low-income families daily.

“One mom of three kids in my school missed qualifying for free lunch by $1 last year,” Cisneros said. “She used to worry constantly about how to feed her kids lunch. It’s been a huge burden lifted from her shoulders.”

Cisneros also sees how free meals have changed students’ attitudes toward going through the lunch line.

“I’ve been told it’s now cool to get your food for free. There’s no stigma — everyone just gets to eat.”

Cisneros said she used to risk getting reprimanded for giving kids who had nothing to eat without charging them, but she couldn’t stand letting any child in her school go hungry. It makes her happy to know that it’s no longer an issue.

According to Agar, parents can save more than $1,250 per student each year, alleviating financial stress while food and living costs rise.

Feeding more students doesn’t come without challenges, however. Kitchens remain understaffed, and Cisneros says by the time some kids get through the line, they’ve sold out of meals, or the student has little time to eat before lunch is over.

Agar acknowledged the issue and noted that districts could apply for grants for more local purchasing, scratch cooking training, and wage boosts for front-line staff next year. She’s hoping the wage increases will help address some of these issues.

Parents have also communicated that they’d like more fresh and culturally relevant options in the coming years. While those plans are in the works, Agar said families can partner with school districts through student and parent advisory committees to help provide students with more enticing food.

Phase II implementation

The next phase of HSMA implementation, which begins in the ‘24-’25 school year, allows schools to apply for local purchasing grants for high-quality, locally sourced food.

“When the HSMA program is fully implemented, it will have one of the most robust farm-to-school programs in the nation,” Agar said. “Farmers and producers are already strategizing how to use the newly available resources to strengthen local food systems and support small farmers.”

The next phase also involves gaining feedback from student and parent advisory committees and giving decision-making power to these groups to ensure meals remain healthy and appealing.

“Colorado is the first state in the nation to establish these committees, providing a unique opportunity to set a new transformational standard for the country,” Agar said.

Anyone wanting to get involved can contact their local nutrition staff or the Hunger Free Colorado team to share their experiences.

Eliminating poor-quality food

Cisneros recently won Education Support Professional of the Year by the Colorado Education Association for her efforts to boycott junk food from her school and begin a composting program that teaches kids about recycling and reducing food waste.

She was part of a bargaining effort on behalf of the Jefferson Education Support Professional Association that successfully won a pilot program to begin working with local farmers to provide fresh food for three Jefferson County schools.

Cisneros is on a mission to teach her students about the impacts of junk food and the importance of eating the colors of the rainbow. She also wants her students to know where their food comes from and is constantly looking for creative ways to help them learn about food while standing in line.

Cisneros is up for National Education Association Support Professional of the Year. The winner will be announced in March.

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