Every student in Needham Public Schools will sit down to free breakfast and lunch when classes resume Sept. 2, with no paperwork or income check required.

The program, funded by a Massachusetts law Gov. Maura Healey signed in summer 2023, covers two complete meals per day for all students in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. Massachusetts was the eighth state to make universal school meals permanent, picking up costs after federal pandemic-era waivers expired in June 2022. Families save roughly $1,200 per student per year, according to Project Bread, the statewide anti-hunger organization.

For Needham families, the practical upshot: kids choose three items at each meal, including at least one fruit or vegetable, and walk away without swiping a card or carrying cash. A la carte extras are still available for purchase.

Emily Murphy, NPS director of nutrition services for the past four years, said the universal model does more than feed students.

"It removes that stigma of categorizing people by their socio-economic status," Murphy told the Needham Observer in an Aug. 19 profile. "No matter where you come from or who your family is, every kid receives the same meals at school."

Murphy said the program has reduced nurse visits and absenteeism while boosting classroom attention and after-school participation.

Scratch cooking and local sourcing

Behind the serving line, Murphy's team has overhauled what goes on the tray. Whole-grain muffins and breads are now baked in-house. Scratch cooking used to mean a vegetable side, Murphy said; now her team prepares main dishes from scratch multiple times a week.

The department has added recipes reflecting a wider range of cuisines, introduced reusable trays, launched a food recovery program and brought on local vendors. One example: whitefish sourced from Boston Harbor.

Murphy said she plans to meet with students and parents this school year to explain sourcing decisions and gather feedback, hoping better communication will push breakfast participation higher. After an initial jump when the universal program launched statewide, meal counts have plateaued.

Statewide results

In the program's first full year statewide, school lunch participation rose 16% and breakfast participation climbed 25%, according to Progressive Playbook. That translated to 61,500 more students eating lunch and 43,400 more eating breakfast every school day. The program is funded in part by the state's "Fair Share" surtax, a 4% levy on incomes above $1 million that voters approved in November 2022.

Needham Public Schools students return Sept. 2; preschool and kindergarten students start Sept. 3.