The Build Back Better Act includes several provisions aimed at improving children’s access to nutrition. In a new insight, Director of Human Welfare Policy Tara O’Neill-Hayes walks through the provisions’ coverage and costs. She notes that while improving child nutrition is an important goal, the expanded eligibility and enhanced reimbursement rate for free meals would come at a significant cost.

Key points:

• The BBBA’s seeks to boost children’s access to nutrition primarily by expanding access to and support for school meal programs.
• The legislation would also provide new financial assistance during summer months for families of children who qualify for school meal programs to purchase food; additional funding would be provided to improve the nutritional quality of school meals and for schools to purchase new cooking equipment.
• The expanded and enhanced nutrition benefits could cost roughly $58 billion over the next five years.

Read the analysis