New York Ranks Among the Best for School Meals

New York has been named one of the best states for school meals in 2026. A new report from ProCare Therapy ranked New York third for its school breakfast and lunch programs. New York received a score of 79.18 out of 100.

Millions of Students Receive Free Meals

New York schools served about 396 million free meals during the 2025–2026 school year. The state’s free school meal program gives about 2.7 million students access to breakfast and lunch at no cost. The meals are available regardless of a family’s income.

More Schools Can Serve Free Meals

The study found that 99.4% of eligible New York schools take part in the Community Eligibility Provision. This program helps schools in areas with greater financial need serve free breakfast and lunch without requiring each family to fill out an application.

New York Schools Serve Local Food

The report also looked at whether schools use food grown or produced nearby. About 86% of the New York school food groups that answered the survey said they served locally sourced food.

Breakfast Participation Still Trails Lunch

For every 100 students who ate school lunch in New York, about 52 also ate school breakfast. The report also found that school lunch programs reached about 62 students for every 100 New Yorkers between the ages of 5 and 17.

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School Meals Help Students Learn

ProCare Therapy said easier access to school meals can remove stress for families. Regular meals can also help children stay fueled, focused and ready to learn throughout the school day. Go here to see the complete State of School Lunch report.