All RUSD students will receive free meals this school year

REDLANDS, Calif. — Just in time for the 2025-2026 school year, Redlands Unified School District families received exciting news: all students will once again receive free breakfast and lunch every school day. 

Why it matters: The initiative is part of a statewide effort to combat food insecurity and ensures every student can access nutritious meals without the need for meal applications or payments. 

Details: The free meals are made possible through California’s Universal Meals Program (AB 130), a program that began in 2022. 

Every student automatically qualifies, which means no paperwork is required. 

Breakfast will be offered 30 minutes before school starts and again during morning recess at elementary schools and passing periods at middle and high schools. A hot and healthy lunch will be served every school day, including minimum days. 

Afterschool meals will also be available. To learn more about RUSD school nutrition and view school-specific menus, visit the Medley Station website. 

What they’re saying: “This initiative is a fantastic step towards combating food insecurity and supporting student well-being and academic success in the Redlands community,” the district said in an Aug. 1 press release.

Zoom out: During the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, the federal government provided free school lunches for all students nationwide, however that funding waiver ended before the 2022-23 school year. This resulted in most states reverting to pre-pandemic systems where free or reduced-price lunches were provided based on a family’s household income.  

California was the first state to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program for school children in 2022, expanding on federal efforts such as the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. 

According to the Food Research & Action Center, only eight states have implemented policies that offer school meals to all students at no charge regardless of household income. In addition to California, these states include Maine, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont, Michigan and Massachusetts. 

Food insecurity continues to impact millions of families around the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that 1 in 6 households with children struggled to buy enough food for their families in 2023. 

Moving forward: The district clarified in the press release that this program does not automatically qualify students for SUN Bucks, California’s Summer EBT program. The SUN Bucks program provides families with $40 a month for food in June, July and August when children don’t have access to school meals.