Bill · H.R. 8928· House(119-HR-8928)

Scratch Cooked Meals for Students Act

Age: 53 years

Connecticut

Introduced: 5/20/2026
Last activity: 5/20/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Sponsored by: Jahana Hayes
Cosponsors: - 10 - 1

Agriculture and Food

Introduced
In Committee

What this bill would do

This bill is known as the Scratch Cooked Meals for Students Act. It requires the Secretary to establish a pilot program that awards competitive grants to school food authorities to promote scratch cooking. Scratch cooking means preparing food using unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients. These grants will last for a period of two school years. The bill gives the highest priority to school food authorities that serve a large proportion of students eligible for free or reduced price lunch. It also authorizes an appropriation of $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out this subsection.

Yes· 3 of 11

Would children be better off under this?+6
The legislation provides healthier, scratch-cooked meals for students in participating school food authorities.
Would students be better off under this?+6
Students benefit from improved nutritional standards and freshly prepared meals in school cafeterias.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+5
Priority is given to schools serving high proportions of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.