Schools

Breakfast and lunch: Free Meals for All program effective for 2025-26 school year

by Joanne Kountourakis
Thu, August 14 2025
Breakfast and lunch: Free Meals for All program effective for 2025-26 school year

Breakfast and lunch in Northport-East Northport Union Free School District schools will be free for all students for the 2025-2026 school year. 

As September quickly approaches, parents and caregivers of school-aged children are welcoming news that school meals will be provided for free to all students in elementary to high school this year, thanks to the New York State Universal Free Meals for All program. 

The program is a statewide initiative that ensures all students attending schools that participate in federal lunch and/or breakfast programs receive free breakfast and lunch, regardless of their family’s income or their eligibility for this service under previous guidelines. Second entrees and a la carte snacks and drinks are not free and must be paid for at the time of purchase; parents can still use the mySchoolBucks website to create an account for these purchases. 

In the past, free or reduced-price meal eligibility was determined based on individual household income levels, often requiring families to submit applications. The Free Meals for All program is effective for the Northport-East Northport school district this September. An application for the service is not necessary. 

Last year, a regular lunch cost students $3.25 at the elementary level and $3.50 in the secondary schools. Under the universal program, New York State schools will be reimbursed for the meals they provide to students through a combination of federal and state funds

The last time students received free meals was during the USDA’s Covid-era Universal Free Meals for All program, which ended in September 2022. That program was funded entirely by the federal government as part of pandemic relief measures.

While meals are free this school year, families may still submit a Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application annually to potentially qualify for other benefits like free aftercare programs, Summer EBT funds for groceries, and discounted SAT fees for eligible students. Applications for free and reduced benefits must be submitted each year. 

For more information, and links to the application, visit the district’s Food and Nutrition page here


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