The Effect of Free School Meals on Household Food Purchases: Evidence from the Community Eligibility Provision / Michelle M. Marcus, Katherine G. Yewell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Marcus, Michelle M.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Yewell, Katherine G.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w29395.

NBER working paper series no. w29395

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2021.

Summary:

We find access to universal free school meals through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) had a meaningful impact on grocery spending for households with children, with monthly food purchases declining by about $11, or 5 percent. For households in zip codes with higher exposure, the decline is as high as $39 per month, or 19 percent. The composition of food purchases also changes after CEP, with low income households experiencing a 3 percent improvement in dietary quality. Finally, CEP exposure is associated with an almost 5 percent decline in households classified as food insecure. Our results on the heterogeneous effects of CEP exposure by prior free/reduced price lunch eligibility reveal benefits in terms of both spending, dietary composition, and food insecurity for previously eligible low-income families, suggesting that the stigma of free school meals may be declining after universal access.

Notes:

Print version record

October 2021.