Students, aged 5 to 7, eat a hot meal in their classroom in the Primary School Baptiste Salem in Dondon, Haiti, where 600 children are registered. Meals are preparing daily with rice and beans. Food purchased from local producers through WFP Home-Grown School Feeding program. Photo Credit: WFP/Alexis Masciarelli
Society The WorldSchool Meals Offered to Millions More Kids
A recent report reveals that nearly 80 million more children are now eating at school thanks to government-led meal programs, a strong step toward more stable nutrition and education for young learners worldwide.
“School meals are so much more than just a plate of nutritious food … they are a pathway out of poverty and into a new world of learning and opportunity,” said World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain.
In just four years, the number of children receiving meals in school grew by 20%, bringing the total to at least 466 million. Low-income countries saw the most significant gains, with a 60% increase in children reached between 2022 and 2024. In Africa alone, an additional 20 million children are now fed under national programs. Funding has more than doubled, too — from USD 43 billion in 2020 to USD 84 billion in 2024, with nearly all of that coming from domestic budgets. These gains show that when nations prioritise school meals, they not only nurture healthier kids but build stronger communities and brighter futures.
