School-provided lunches have existed in the US for about 130 years, if you count the early days when private welfare groups handled the gig. School lunches have never been paused since they started, but the impetus for providing them has varied widely. (And they're the reason "white people food is bland" is such a compelling concept.)

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Sources:

Foodtimeline.org

New York Times

Pacific Standard magazine

National Education Association

US Government Accountability Office (PDF)

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Paradox of Plenty: A Social History of Eating in America

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