Free school meals: The world’s biggest social programme

Free school meals feed more than 400 million children worldwide, making them the largest social programme in history. But how effective are they? And should even more governments provide free school meals?

In this episode of Economics Unpacked, we break down the economics of school feeding programmes.

Drawing on evidence from Colombia and a review covering 25 countries, we speak with economists Biniam Bedasso and Fabio Sánchez on the long-term impacts of school meal programmes and education, university, incomes, health, and more.