Brewer schools are seeing the number of students receiving free meals skyrocketing, but it’s not because there’s more need in the community.
This year, 75 to 85 percent of Brewer Community School students are getting free breakfast and lunch, according to Casey Thibodeau, the Brewer School Department’s food service director. At the high school, about 61 percent of students are getting breakfast and lunch on a regular basis.
This marks a sizable increase from the 35 percent who were previously eligible for free meals, which hasn’t shifted much in recent years.
But the jump in meal numbers doesn’t hint at any socioeconomic shift within the city. Instead, more families are taking advantage of the free meal option because it saves them time and money, Thibodeau said.
This is the second academic year all Maine schools must offer students free meals, regardless of their family’s income, giving children equal access to food in a state where 1 in 4 are at risk for hunger, according to the Maine Department of Education.
Gov. Janet Mills signed the bill into law in July 2021, cementing Maine’s version of a federal pandemic-era program that gave public schools funding so all students could eat for free. Maine is one of at least eight states that have restored their own version of the program, keeping school meals free for all students.
Though free meals certainly take a burden off families, Thibodeau said she believes the increase speaks to the excitement she and the school cooks have generated around the meals being served.
During her first year as food service director, Thibodeau said she has worked to expand the kinds of foods being served to students while still keeping old favorites, such as pizza and cheeseburgers, in the mix.
“Kids get bored of the same stuff, so if you’re trying new things, they get really excited,” she said. “I’m really proud of our operation here and the kids who want to try new things.”
Thibodeau said she polls students after offering them a new meal, such as fajitas or General Tso’s chicken, while ensuring the meals are nutritious. High schoolers’ favorite meals have been “custom pizza” and Chinese food that’s layered in Chinese takeout containers.
At Brewer Community School, students love chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and corn dogs, Thibodeau said.
“Sometimes, kids will grab a free hot meal even if they brought a lunch from home,” she said. “We’re not policing that and stopping them from getting food if they brought lunch from home. We just want to make sure a kid leaves with a full belly.”
