NEW: Report on Child Nutrition and Hunger in Kansas
Olivia Sourivong | October 7, 2026
New food insecurity data shows around 1 in 5 Kansas kids (20.9%) don’t know where their next meal will come from. These 143,000 kids in Kansas face hunger, which can greatly affect their health and ability to learn and thrive.
Understanding how many Kansas kids experience food insecurity — and the programs available to struggling families — provides a helpful illustration of hunger and nutrition across the state. That’s why we’re launching the 2026 KIDS COUNT REPORT®: Child Nutrition and Hunger in Kansas to examine this key issue affecting Kansas children. This report examines the data behind families facing food insecurity, the systems in place to address hunger and nutrition, and policy opportunities to ensure all Kansas kids have the nutrition they need to thrive.
Federal Impacts on Kansas Children Enrolled in SNAP
Since the passage of H.R.1, otherwise known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” in July 2025, federal law has created new restrictions that will cut billions of dollars from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next 10 years.
Between July 2025 and August 2026, there were 18,000 fewer children enrolled in SNAP. That means 1 in 5 children (21%) previously enrolled in SNAP have lost access to a vital source of food assistance.
SNAP not only helps families put food on the table and reduce food insecurity, but it also generates dollars in our local communities. For every SNAP dollar spent, it can generate about $1.50 to $1.80 in economic activity, which supports grocery stores, farmers, and the local economy. When families lose SNAP benefits, local grocery stores and retailers can also lose an important source of revenue. In communities where grocery stores already operate on thin margins, the loss of SNAP spending can put pressure on businesses that serve the entire community.
And these losses may just be the beginning for Kansas families because of another provision in H.R. 1 still yet to be implemented. For decades, the federal government has covered 100% of SNAP benefit costs. But beginning in October 2027, H.R.1 will require states to contribute a portion of SNAP benefit costs based on their payment error rates. States may use their payment error rate from either FFY 2025 or FFY 2026 to determine their state share. If Kansas has a rate below 6%, the state will not be required to contribute toward SNAP, but any rate higher than 6% will result in a larger state share. For FFY 2025, our rate was 9.44%.
If Kansas is unable (or refuses) to fund the cost-share amount, the state wouldn’t have access to any federal SNAP funding, resulting in Kansas opting out of the program all together.
Nutritional Resources in Kansas Schools
Investment in nutrition does not stop with SNAP. Schools play a critical role in providing meals to low-income children during the school day through programs like the Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program (FRPL) and the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Together, these programs provide nutritional support to Kansas students throughout the school year.
In the 2025-2026 school year, 125 out of 285 public school districts had 50% or more of their students approved for FRPL, benefitting 232,031 Kansas children.
Another option to feed hungry students is CEP, which gives students access to free meals at schools with a high percentage of students who are eligible for FRPL. If an eligible school opts into the program, it will receive federal dollars to cover free meals for all students, regardless of whether all students have been previously deemed eligible for FRPL or not.
Currently, there are 835 total private and public schools that are CEP eligible, yet only 192 schools chose to utilize CEP in the 2025-2026 school year, benefitting 60,637 students.
When school is not in session, the Summer EBT program, also known as “SUN Bucks,” provides a once-a-year benefit of $120 to eligible school-aged children during the summer months. By mid-July 2026, 133,584 Kansas children were enrolled in this program, which brought about $16 million in federal dollars to Kansas families.
Policy Solutions Ahead of 2027 Legislative Session
As we begin to prepare for the 2027 legislative session, lawmakers can consider a range of policies to address school meals and food accessibility.
One potential step is eliminating the copay for students who qualify for reduced-price school meals. Children who live in families with 130% to 185% of the federal poverty line are qualified for the reduced-price meals through FRPL. Children in the reduced-price category are still required to pay $0.40 for lunch and $0.30 for breakfast, which is about $130 per child per school year. Families with multiple school-aged children see this cost add up over the course of the school year, still creating challenges for children to consistently participate in the school meal program.
If Kansas eliminated these copayments for the 34,000 students currently receiving reduced-price meals, this would help reduce costs for families and give more food access to eligible students. This policy could also help bring Kansas towards a system in which students can access school meals without financial barriers. Eliminating reduced-price meal copayments is just one practical solution towards broader access to school meals.
Other opportunities where lawmakers can make a difference are restoring SNAP benefits to eligible kids who have lost coverage and passing universal school meals. As Kansas considers ways to support children and families in the 2027 legislative session, these policy ideas can create a pathway toward ensuring every Kansas child has reliable access to nutritious meals.
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