When Does “Free” School Lunch Get Too Expensive?

Colorado has committed to providing free school meals to students regardless of household income, but what happens when the cost keeps growing?

Erin Brantley and Ross Izard examine Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program, the additional funding voters have approved, and the difficult question of how much taxpayers are ultimately willing to spend.

They also look beyond the price tag. Are students actually eating the meals? Is the food meeting parents’ expectations? And what should families be asking their schools about where the food comes from and how their nutrition programs operate?

It’s a conversation about good intentions, rising costs, accountability, and whether Colorado’s universal school meal program can remain sustainable.