At the beginning of the school year in Michigan, students at most public schools can head to their school cafeteria and have lunch for free, part of a program the state started funding in the 2023-24 school year. And in the morning, they're guaranteed breakfast.

But by October, that might not be the case, as the Michigan School Meal's program's future could hang in the balance. School leaders and food service directors are waiting for state lawmakers to set a school aid budget. The budget is usually expected to be set in July, when school districts must have their budgets finalized. This year, lawmakers have been at a near-standstill in negotiations, causing a delay.

The unsettled state budget is the source of a lot of angst for school administrators this year. But the fate of the meal

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