Youth Food Security and School-Based Nutrition Programs in Vermont Hailey Paschold March 11, 2026

Nutrition and food access play a significant role in each child’s academic growth, and can have ripple effects on entire learning communities. Have you ever wanted to learn more about childhood food security in Vermont, and the school-based nutritional options available to help your students? If the answer is yes, this training is for you!

In this training, we will describe key factors impacting kids' food access, and share data on youth food security statewide. We will then introduce a variety of federal and state nutrition programs available to kids to help them access wholesome food all year long. This includes school breakfast and lunch, summer meals, and afterschool, weekend, and school break meal and snack options. Not only will you learn about how all kids in public schools can enjoy free breakfast and lunch thanks to Vermont’s Universal School Meals law, but we will also discuss programs schools can utilize to expand access at early childhood educational centers and for older kids outside of school hours.