Food for Thought Act of 2026

The Food for Thought Act of 2026 establishes a federal grant program to provide free meals and snacks to low-income college students at eligible institutions, including community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions. To qualify for funding, schools must have at least 20 percent of their undergraduate students eligible for Federal Pell Grants and agree to conduct outreach that connects students with other benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill authorizes appropriations from fiscal years 2027 through 2032 and requires recipients to submit reports on food insecurity prevalence and student completion rates. Additionally, it amends the Higher Education Act to ensure that receiving these free meals does not count as other financial assistance when calculating a student's eligibility for federal aid.