Free school lunch study raises concerns about funding

New Zealand’s free school lunch programme, Ka Ora, Ka Ako, delivers strong benefits for children, families, and communities, according to a newly published evaluation. However, recent funding cuts and a new low-cost menu introduced earlier this year could undermine its success, warn researchers from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.?

The programme was rolled out in 2020 in response to a spike in food insecurity during the Covid-19 lockdowns. By May 2024, it was reaching more than 230,000 students – about 27 percent of learners – in schools with the highest levels of disadvantage.

The aims of the programme were to reduce hunger, improve nutrition and wellbeing, remove barriers to learning, and support local economies.

Researchers used a method called ‘Value for Investment’ to assess whether the programme is a good use of public money. Unlike traditional cost–benefit studies, Value for Investment looks at more than just costs. It considers health, education, fairness, and community benefits.

The researchers started by meeting with stakeholders to develop the criteria for evaluation. They came up with 21 criteria.

They then drew evidence from other research on Ka Ora, Ka Ako and from similar programmes around the world.

Later, the same group of stakeholders – representing schools, community groups and the ministries of health and education – rated the findings against those criteria.

The study found that Ka Ora, Ka Ako rated very well overall, achieving its original objectives and adding further value:
• Seven areas were rated excellent, including reducing family financial stress and providing good quality lunches.
• Twelve areas were rated good, such as improving health and learning outcomes.
• Only two areas were rated adequate – programme continuity and sustainable food procurement.
• None were rated poor.

A key finding was the programme helped to reduce stigma by making lunches free for all students in participating schools.

However, the researchers warn that the government’s decision to cut the budget by a third in 2025 and introduce a cheaper, centralised delivery model could affect those results especially lunch quality, nutrition, and local economic benefits.

Lead author Carolina Mejía Toro says it is important to make school lunches free for every student, not just those identified as being in higher need, in order to ensure no child is singled out.

“Evidence from other programmes reveals that, when only some students receive free meals, it can create stigma. Many children may avoid taking a free lunch even when they need it. This leads to missed nutrition and increased food waste.”

The main recommendations from the study are to keep Ka Ora, Ka Ako universal in the schools where it is offered and make it a permanent part of government budgets.

Researchers also recommend monitoring the new low-cost model to check its impact on food quality and waste.

Health Coalition Aotearoa, a group of public health researchers, has raised concerns that the new model – which it refers to as ‘version 2.0’ – has lost some of the earlier gains, through reduced nutritional quality, smaller portions, and less impact on household food security.

“We need to repeat this Value for Investment research with version 2.0 and take the lessons from both in order to build the optimal version 3.0 for kids, schools, and families,” says co-author Professor Boyd Swinburn, a public health researcher at the University and Co-chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa.

“Schools are saying that some parents have to provide extra food for children to take to school, which adds a financial burden that had been removed before.” Swinburn says.

Other recommendations from the evaluation include strengthening sustainability measures – such as reducing packaging and sourcing more local food – and addressing child poverty to tackle the root causes of food insecurity.

The next step will be a similar evaluation of the current model, where the budget has been cut by a third.

• Read the paper: Mejía Toro C, King J, Mackay S, Tipene-Leach D, Swinburn B. Free, healthy school lunches in New Zealand: A Value for Investment analysis. BMC Public Health. 2025;25:3546.