Healthy School Meals For All

Led by the Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) at University of California, Merrimack College, the Rudd Center at the University of Connecticut, University of New England, Boise State University, Stanford University, and Arizona State University, this collaborative of researchers across the United States is examining the impact of Healthy School Meals for All (HSM4A) policies on school meal participation and food security. With funding from Share Our Strength, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Healthy Eating Research), Full Plates Full Potential, and the State of California, this rigorous and timely school policy research will help to identify barriers and best practices for implementing HSM4A to help inform the continued successful implementation among states with this policy and to support new policy efforts among other states and at the national level.

Meet The Team

Juliana Cohen

Merrimack College & Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health

Co-Principal Investigator

Wendi Gosliner

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California

Co-Principal Investigator

Marlene Schwartz

Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health
University of Connecticut

Michele Polacsek

Center for Excellence in Public Health
University of New England

Christina Hecht

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California

Ken Hecht

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California

Monica Zuercher

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California

Punam Ohri-Vachaspati

College of Health Solutions
Arizona State University

Lorrene Ritchie

Nutrition Policy Institute
University of California

Lindsey Turner

Center for School & Community Partnerships
Boise State University

Anisha Patel

Division of General Pediatrics
Stanford University

Leah Chapman

Center for Health Innovation, Research, & Policy
Merrimack College

Team

Select Publications

Publications

Orta-Aleman D, Zuercher MD, Hecht C, Hecht K, Poudel I, Olarte DA, Patel A, Polacsek M, Ritchie LD, Cohen JFW, Gosliner W. ” Perceptions and experiences of Universal School Meals in California: Qualitative insights from food service directors on participation, stigma, and operational benefits and challenges.” JAND (Accepted)

Cohen JFW, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Orta-Aleman D, Patel AI, Olarte DA, Chapman LE, Read M, Schwartz MB, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W “Perceived impact of a state-level universal free school meal policy on households with varying income levels: An analysis of parental perspectives.” JAND (Accepted)

Bacon KA, Orta-Aleman D, Zuercher MD, Chelius C, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Ritchie LD, Cohen JF, Gosliner W. California Middle and High School Students Report Wanting “Fresh” and “Healthy” School Lunch in the Context of Universal School Meals. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2024 (epub ahead of press)

Chapman LE, Gosliner W, Olarte DA, Ritchie LD, Schwartz MB, Polacsek M, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Turner L, Patel AI, Zuercher MD, Read MA, Daly TP, Cohen JFW. Universal School Meals During the Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Parent Perceptions from California and Maine. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2024 (epub ahead of press).

Orta-Aleman D, Zuercher MD, Bacon KA, Chelius C, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Ritchie LD, Cohen JF, Gosliner W. Students’ Perspectives on the Benefits and Challenges of Universal School Meals Related to Food Accessibility, Stigma, Participation, and Waste. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2024 Sept; 56(9):599-610

Zuercher MD, Orta-Aleman D, Cohen JF, Hecht CA, Hecht K, Polacsek M, Patel AI, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W. The Benefits and Challenges of Providing School Meals during the First Year of California’s Universal School Meal Policy as Reported by School Foodservice Professionals. Nutrients. 2024 Jun 8;16(12):1812.

Hecht AA, Gosliner W, Turner L, Hecht K, Hecht CE, Ritchie LD, Polacsek M, Cohen JF. School Meals for All: A Qualitative Study Exploring Lessons in Successful Advocacy and Policymaking in Maine and California. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2024 Dec; 124(12):1580-1589

Zuercher MD, Cohen JFW, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Orta-Aleman D, Patel AI, Olarte DA, Chapman LE, Read M, Schwartz MB, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W. Parent perceptions of school meals influence student participation in school meal programs. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2024 Apr 1;56(4):230-41

Zuercher MD, Cohen JFW, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Polacsek M, Olarte DA, Read M, Patel AI, Schwartz MB, Chapman LE, Orta-Aleman D, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W. Parental perceptions of school meals under a universal meal policy and how they differ by race and ethnicity. Health Affairs Scholar. 2024 Jan;2(1):qxad092.

Cohen JFW, Polacsek M, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Read M, Olarte DA, Patel AI, Schwartz MB, Turner L, Zuercher M, Gosliner W. Implementation of Universal School Meals during COVID-19 and beyond: Challenges and Benefits for School Meals Programs in Maine. Nutrients. 2022 Sep 28;14(19):4031

Zuercher MD, Cohen JFW, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W. Providing School Meals to All Students Free of Charge during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: Challenges and Benefits Reported by School Foodservice Professionals in California. Nutrients, 2022 14(18), 3855.

Cohen JFW, Hecht AA, McLoughlin GM, Turner L, Schwartz MB. Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2021 Mar;13(3):911

Reports

Current State of Processed Foods in Schools

Report written by Cohen J, Chapman L, Gombi-Vaca M, Gosliner W, Hecht C, Hecht K, Schwartz M, Zuercher M, Ritchie L.

Healthy School Meals for All in Arizona

Report written by Martinelli S, Acciai F, Melnick E, Ohri-Vachaspati P.