Children Missing Out on Afterschool Nutrition Programs

Key Findings

• Average daily participation in CACFP suppers (50.4 percent) made up the greatest percentage of overall afterschool nutrition access, followed by NSLP snacks (37 percent) and CACFP Snacks (12.6 percent).
• Just 1 child for every 16 children who participated in the free or reduced-price school lunch program in October 2024 was served by the Afterschool Supper Program
• 1.26 million children received an afterschool supper on an average school day in October 2024, an increase of 34,180 children, or 2.8 percent, when compared to October 2023.
  • Participation in afterschool suppers remained low when compared to pre-pandemic levels, serving 173,402 fewer children in October 2024 than in October 2019.
  • 31 states increased their participation rate in afterschool suppers; four of these states increased by more than 25 percent: Colorado (34.1 percent), Hawaii (181.2 percent), Montana (26.3 percent), and Oklahoma (25.3 percent).
  • 20 states saw a decrease in supper participation when comparing October 2024 to October 2023 data; eight of which dropped by more than 10  percent: Idaho (13 percent), Indiana (39.4 percent), Kansas (19.4 percent), Minnesota (23.4 percent), Mississippi (22.1 percent), Rhode Island (18.4 percent), South Dakota (18 percent), and Wyoming (97.3 percent).
• 1.24 million children received an afterschool snack, a decrease of 10,770 (1 percent) children from October 2023.
  • 925,766 children received a snack through NSLP and 313,707 through CACFP
• 44,911 sites served afterschool suppers and/or snacks in 2024, a decrease of 1,397 sites from 2023.
  • Participation was higher in CACFP (27,034 sites) compared to NSLP (17,877 sites).
  • There was a 0.2 percent increase (65 sites) in CACFP afterschool sites and a 7.6 percent decrease (1,462) in NSLP afterschool sites.

FRAC Policy Recommendations

Federal Policy

1. Streamline the Afterschool and Summer Nutrition Programs. Many community-based organizations and local government agencies must switch between operating the Afterschool Meal Program under the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), often serving the same children throughout the year. Operating two separate programs with different eligibility criteria and requirements creates duplication and administrative burden. Consolidating these into a single year-round program under SFSP would streamline operations and allow sponsors to reach more children effectively.
2. Allow School Food Authorities to Serve Suppers Through the National School Lunch Program. Under the National School Lunch Program, schools are limited to providing snacks after school. To offer a full meal instead of just a snack, or to serve children on weekends and school holidays, schools must operate CACFP, which imposes a significant and unnecessary administrative burden. This often results in schools only providing snacks. Streamlining the Afterschool Nutrition Programs by allowing schools to provide up to a meal and a snack any day during the regular school year through the NSLP, similar to the flexibility offered through CACFP, would incentivize more schools to serve meals.
3. Lower the Area Eligibility Threshold. Currently, afterschool sites must be in areas where at least 50 percent of children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. This threshold excludes many rural and suburban communities with demonstrated need but less concentrated poverty. Lowering the threshold to 40 percent would extend eligibility to more communities and align afterschool nutrition with other federal education and enrichment programs, including Title I and 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

State and Local Policy

1. Mandate participation. Several states have passed laws requiring schools in low-income areas to participate in federal child nutrition programs. Virginia and Maine have led the way by mandating that schools with afterschool programs also serve meals.
2. Allocate funding. A handful of states supplement federal reimbursement rates or provide grants for equipment and start-up costs to support school and summer meal programs. Expanding these investments to afterschool suppers and snacks can make participation more sustainable and accessible for schools and community organizations.
3. Engage school districts. Schools have extensive experience administering the child nutrition programs and often operate afterschool activities that are eligible to participate in the Afterschool Nutrition Programs. State agencies and advocates can boost participation by identifying eligible districts, addressing administrative challenges, and offering technical assistance.
4. Serve suppers instead of (or in addition to) snacks. Offering a full supper — rather than just a snack — more effectively improves nutrition and significantly increases federal reimbursement, helping programs remain financially viable. When afterschool programs run for several hours, providing both supper and a snack is a best practice.
5. Improve meal quality and appeal. All suppers and snacks provided through the Afterschool Nutrition Programs must adhere to federal nutrition standards. Sponsors can enhance the quality of the meals they offer by following FRAC’s Afterschool Standards of Excellence, as well as by incorporating fresh, seasonal produce through Farm to Afterschool initiatives.
6. Reduce barriers. For example, long travel distances may make it challenging for some children to stay after school, even when programs are offered. To alleviate this barrier, schools can work to adjust bus schedules to allow for meal service and an enrichment activity before buses leave. Schools also can consider serving meals immediately after the bell rings in the classroom, alongside homework help.
7. Build partnerships. Collaboration with libraries, parks and recreation departments, YMCAs, and other community-based organizations can expand the number of sites offering afterschool meals. Partnerships help reach children who may not stay at school but still need a safe place to go with access to food and enrichment.
8. Increase outreach and awareness. Parents and guardians may not be aware of meal availability. Clear communication through schools, community organizations, and local media can boost participation.

Conclusion

Participation in afterschool suppers saw only modest growth in October 2024, while snack participation declined, and overall participation remains below pre-pandemic levels. Even before the pandemic, afterschool suppers were reaching far too few children: In October 2019, fewer than one in ten students receiving free or reduced-price school lunch received an afterschool supper. To close this gap, policymakers must act. Key opportunities include lowering the area eligibility Too Many Existing Afterschool Programs Not Serving Suppers Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) show that 85 percent of the nation’s public K–12 schools were estimated to have offered afterschool programs for students in the 2024–2025 school year, and that 13 percent of all K–12 students were estimated to have participated in academically focused after-school programs during that time. While area eligibility may keep some of these programs from participating in the Afterschool Nutrition Programs, this statistic — along with data in this report that shows that NSLP snack service makes up 37 percent of meals served in October 2024 — demonstrates that too many programs are not taking advantage of the opportunity to serve suppers. threshold to allow more communities to participate, streamlining program administration to reduce duplicative burdens for schools and sponsors, and increasing federal funding for afterschool programs to expand capacity and sustainability. By pairing Congressional action with increased outreach, technical assistance, and sustained investment, states and communities can ensure that every child has access to nutritious meals and enrichment opportunities after the school day ends.

 

Read the full report Afterschool Suppers: A Snapshot of Participation in October 2024.