In your country, are free school meals offered to poorer pupils?

[Tooting Carmen]

In Britain they are, and the percentage of pupils entitled to them in each school is used to measure how affluent or deprived the school's intake overall is.

[Hulu]

Yes, in my state close to 80% can get free meals if they want to.

[Duke]

I am not sure, but for instance in collage, you get a card to get discount food, you get solid lunch for a price of chewing gum, and every student has this

[calxpal]

In the US yes, where I lived they didn't have to be that poor relatively for a discount or free meals I was eligible myself a few times as a child. I totally support the free meals program, however they really should have had healthier options the quality of food in the school meals was terrible usually, and most of the food was gross and unappetizing sadly I brought a lunch 80% of the time or more.

*Sorry to clarify I'm talking about the US not Canada since that's where I went to school.

[Incal]

Nope, you have to take your own meal.

[Laredo]

Nope, you have to take your own meal.

Welcome to Latin America I guess that's one thing you can tell easily apart from first world to third world countries.

[Laredo]

In the US yes, where I lived they didn't have to be that poor relatively for a discount or free meals I was eligible myself a few times as a child. I totally support the free meals program, however they really should have had healthier options the quality of food in the school meals was terrible usually, and most of the food was gross and unappetizing sadly I brought a lunch 80% of the time or more.

I thought Canada doesn't have a free school lunch program like In the U.S? Correct me If I'm wrong.

[Rædwald]

Not that I'm aware of, I'm sure there are programs in some places though. My school had free breakfast in the form of fruit, cheese, toast, cereal bars, orange juice et cetera

[Incal]

Welcome to Latin America I guess that's one thing you can tell easily apart from first world to third world countries.

Dunno, I'm assuming they probably offer free food in Argentina and Uruguay. Maybe on Lula's Brazil too.

[Creoda]

No.

No such thing as a free lunch here.

[Creoda]

No.

No such thing as a free lunch here.
Unless of course you're an Abo.

[calxpal]

I thought Canada doesn't have a free school lunch program like In the U.S? Correct me If I'm wrong.

I believe that's correct but I attended a US school for Elementary-High School, so I can't really comment on Canada accurately for this. But I'm curious now what Canada's policy is maybe I'll research it or ask my parents what their experience was.

[Salty Ears]

The first 4 years of school are free meals for all students. Then it depends on the status of the family, it concerns not only monetary income. If family members are, for example, some kind of preferential category. Often, instead of a free lunch, some places offer monetary compensation.

[Norrsken]

All schools here have free food for everyone except teachers in some cases

[capocannoniere]

Dunno, I'm assuming they probably offer free food in Argentina and Uruguay. Maybe on Lula's Brazil too.

Every public school offers state-funded meals for students of any social strata. Being public schools it will be mostly lower and lower-middle class. It started to be omnipresent with Lula but Bolsonaro did not stop.

More important than everything, it's actual food and not a snack. I don't know if they exist in Peru but comparing with Argentina, it's much like a "comedor universitario". It's good to see that at least one of the three daily meals are covered by
the State, especially when we pay the amount of taxes we do around here.

[Petalpusher]

Contrary to what you would expect, school meals are not free in France, eventhough the left tries to make it free and there are all sorts of financial help in some areas.


In people's mind anything becoming free is gonna turn into lower/bad quality. This is one of the country's funny dilemma, as on one hand socialists like to make everything free and this is a segragating element in schools, yet... you don't mess with food in France.

[coolfrenchguy]

not really free ,more some social assistance for the poor parents, a kind of social care

new yorker school canteen,normally they shouldn't starving to death
https://s.france24.com/media/display/369a3466-0fcc-11e9-96e8-005056a964fe/w:1280/p:16x9/a8eb7c3bdadcf02f3877979a2daca54b.jpg

[Brás Garcia de Mascarenhas]

Only families with an annual income equal to or less than ~3000 euros are entitled to free school meals. Keep in mind that such an income is not even poverty, but extreme poverty. The rest have to pay, but the amount is almost symbolic, between 0.70€ and 1.50€ for a full meal.

[Tooting Carmen]

Only families with an annual income equal to or less than ~3000 euros are entitled to free school meals.

Who on Earth earns such a low income in Portugal?

[Brás Garcia de Mascarenhas]

Who on Earth earns such a low income in Portugal?

Probably large families, where both parents are unemployed for example. Such families receive subsidies and support from the state certainly but it does not count towards their annual income (I am assuming, unsure).

[Östsvensk]

Yeah, and then the kids have the audacity to complain about the quality of the food.

[InmostLight]

Here it's families under the state poverty line, which includes most of the rural US. Note that the parents have to turn in their tax returns to first prove their poverty, and many parents don't believe in hand outs. A lot of kids at my school would have qualified if their parents were willing to fill out the form, but they just went hungry.

[Melkiirs]

Here it's families under the state poverty line, which includes most of the rural US. Note that the parents have to turn in their tax returns to first prove their poverty, and many parents don't believe in hand outs. A lot of kids at my school would have qualified if their parents were willing to fill out the form, but they just went hungry.

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is from the USDA and is based on federal poverty level given household size. This is the same for all states and territories except for Alaska and Hawaii because of higher cost of living. Reduced lunches require up to 185% of poverty level and free lunches up to 130%. I don't think states can change the criteria.

Here is a recent edibility table from the USDA:
https://i.ibb.co/LJmZy0D/fr-020923.jpg (https://ibb.co/hZbmNgx)

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/fr-020923

[Creoda]

not really free ,more some social assistance for the poor parents, a kind of social care

new yorker school canteen,normal8ly they shouldn't starving to death
https://s.france24.com/media/display/369a3466-0fcc-11e9-96e8-005056a964fe/w:1280/p:16x9/a8eb7c3bdadcf02f3877979a2daca54b.jpgThat's another thing different here than the US (and UK), no school cafeterias. Kids eat outside, and mostly bring packed lunches. At my high school the only hot food the crappy canteen sold for years was (microwaved) buttered bread rolls.

[PlattitüdenPaule]

Yeah, and then the kids have the audacity to complain about the quality of the food.

Let me guess, they refuse to eat it when its pork?

[Incal]

Let me guess, they refuse to eat it when its pork?

lol

[Östsvensk]

Let me guess, they refuse to eat it when its pork?

There have been instances where schools removed pork from the menu because of Muslims (although brought back from critique). Usually they have a vegetarian and non-vegetaran option, so you can go with the vegetarian if you don't want to eat pork.

[PlattitüdenPaule]

There have been instances where schools removed pork from the menu because of Muslims (although brought back from critique). Usually they have a vegetarian and non-vegetaran option, so you can go with the vegetarian if you don't want to eat pork.

No big news, just like everywhere in the western part of Europes northern half. They just feel entitled to it because their crappy excuse of a "holy" scripture tells them so.

[InmostLight]

Yeah, and then the kids have the audacity to complain about the quality of the food.

I understand that beggars can't be choosers, but children have no control over whether or not they are born into poverty. In my area, if you're on free lunch, you are given a significantly lower quality of food, including things that have been reheated throughout the entire week to the point of being nearly inedible. It's mortifying being a kid and trying to chew up a rock-hard chicken nugget just because your parents can't or won't take care of you.

[Östsvensk]

I understand that beggars can't be choosers, but children have no control over whether or not they are born into poverty. In my area, if you're on free lunch, you are given a significantly lower quality of food, including things that have been reheated throughout the entire week to the point of being nearly inedible. It's mortifying being a kid and trying to chew up a rock-hard chicken nugget just because your parents can't or won't take care of you.

I admit that I wasn't much of a fan of the school food myself. Spoiled me would sometimes go to my grandparents where my grandma fed me pancakes when I didn't like what was on the menu.

[InmostLight]

I admit that I wasn't much of a fan of the school food myself. Spoiled me would sometimes go to my grandparents where my grandma fed me pancakes when I didn't like what was on the menu.

Yeah, there's a difference between being picky and disliking the food, versus being given food which is spoiled, stale, reheated daily over the course of a week, or otherwise unsafe-- just because your parents can't or won't pay.

If you're poor enough to get free lunch, you probably don't have the opportunity to eat at home, either.

[Hulu]

Yeah, there's a difference between being picky and disliking the food, versus being given food which is spoiled, stale, reheated daily over the course of a week, or otherwise unsafe-- just because your parents can't or won't pay.

If you're poor enough to get free lunch, you probably don't have the opportunity to eat at home, either.

Which state are you speaking for? I think every state has food stamp benefits for all those that cannot afford it. And maybe the food quality varies but I doubt is as bad as you make it out to be.

[Mortimer]

When i was in school you had to bring your own lunch like a sandwich there wasnt a mensa in the school nor cooking

[InmostLight]

Which state are you speaking for? I think every state has food stamp benefits for all those that cannot afford it. And maybe the food quality varies but I doubt is as bad as you make it out to be.

Food stamps are only helpful for children whose parents are willing and able to apply. Children of ill parents, substance-abusing parents, or parents who "refuse handouts" often do not benefit from food stamps. Lots of families are eligible for assistance and for whatever reason still allow their children to go hungry. There are families that DO get food stamps and still refuse to feed their children. That's why I think schools should provide decent-quality food to all children, regardless of the family's willingness or ability to pay. School lunch is the only food some kids get, and when the school lunch you're allowed to eat consists of an expired milk carton and a slice of cheese on stale bread, you're basically fucked

[Hulu]

Food stamps are only helpful for children whose parents are willing and able to apply. Children of ill parents, substance-abusing parents, or parents who "refuse handouts" often do not benefit from food stamps. Lots of families are eligible for assistance and for whatever reason still allow their children to go hungry. That's why I think schools should provide decent-quality food to all children, regardless of the family's willingness or ability to pay. School lunch is the only food some kids get, and when the school lunch you're allowed to eat consists of an expired milk carton and a slice of cheese on stale bread, you're basically fucked

Which state is that? because it seems made up. Everybody applies for food stamps, even illegal aliens get them and they don't have to prove anything.

[Mortimer]

Food stamps are only helpful for children whose parents are willing and able to apply. Children of ill parents, substance-abusing parents, or parents who "refuse handouts" often do not benefit from food stamps. Lots of families are eligible for assistance and for whatever reason still allow their children to go hungry. There are families that DO get food stamps and still refuse to feed their children. That's why I think schools should provide decent-quality food to all children, regardless of the family's willingness or ability to pay. School lunch is the only food some kids get, and when the school lunch you're allowed to eat consists of an expired milk carton and a slice of cheese on stale bread, you're basically fucked

You are a good person

[InmostLight]

Which state is that? because it seems made up. Everybody applies for food stamps, even illegal aliens get them and they don't have to prove anything.

It can happen in any state. There are plenty of families that are either too negligent to apply for food stamps, or apply for them anyway and still refuse to feed their children. That's why I said that parents who are very sick or on drugs may either not apply, or apply and still neglect to feed their kids.

[Hulu]

It can happen in any state. There are plenty of families that are either too negligent to apply for food stamps, or apply for them anyway and still refuse to feed their children. That's why I said that parents who are very sick or on drugs may either not apply, or apply and still neglect to feed their kids.

There is child services that watch you unless you live in a cave. If children are at school, they are accounted for. Did you just come in this country?

I find it very funny that you refuse to answer by the way.

[Melkiirs]

There is child services that watch you unless you live in a cave. If children are at school, they are accounted for. Did you just come in this country?

I find it very funny that you refuse to answer by the way.

If you need to know she is from Missouri.

[Hulu]

If you need to know she is from Missouri.

Ok thanks. They're poorer there but I doubt is as bad as she says, not in 2023 anyway.

[Östsvensk]

Yeah, there's a difference between being picky and disliking the food, versus being given food which is spoiled, stale, reheated daily over the course of a week, or otherwise unsafe-- just because your parents can't or won't pay.

If you're poor enough to get free lunch, you probably don't have the opportunity to eat at home, either.


https://youtu.be/e6jGeIwebvk

I couldn't resist. xD

[Melkiirs]

Ok thanks. They're poorer there but I doubt is as bad as she says, not in 2023 anyway.

Through 2022 as part of COVID-19 relief the federal government provided funding for state universal free lunch programs. Massachusetts, Nevada, and Vermont have supported universal free lunches through this school year and California, Colorado, and Maine and have made it permanent. Several states including Missouri have introduced bills to extend universal free lunches. Missouri currently has two pending bills: HB 172 and SB 321.

HB 172:
https://legiscan.com/MO/text/HB172/2023

SB 321:
https://senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=29306

As of yet it appears to be back to normal in the state.

[Seya]

Only day nurseries / kindergartens offer free meals to all children.
You can't get food in schools here, neither for free nor paid. You have to bring your own food.
Universities have cafeterias with very very cheap food. You can eat a while meal with 2$.

[Sarin]

Yes . Under the popular mid-day meal scheme by Govt. , Govt. schools & Anganwadis , where usually poor goes , provides free food as per following chart :

https://i.ibb.co/WpqRGTP/Screenshot-41.png

[Petalpusher]

not really free ,more some social assistance for the poor parents, a kind of social care

new yorker school canteen,normally they shouldn't starving to death
https://s.france24.com/media/display/369a3466-0fcc-11e9-96e8-005056a964fe/w:1280/p:16x9/a8eb7c3bdadcf02f3877979a2daca54b.jpg

Looks less despicable than every other occurences ive seen of American school meals. However Michael Moore's documentary was a bit of a fairy tale and disingeneous, he wanted to proove a point that even if income tax is higher here, we don't pay for a lot of things (allegedly because the US overbudgets military). He takes as an example one poor neighborhood (you can tell by the diversity) where everything is a handout, but school meals are not free in France.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXbJ3wSSKJc