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Until Tuesday I knew barely anything about Tim Walz.

And like so many others who tuned in to the rally in Philadelphia, I learned a lot about the Minnesota governor. He grew up on a farm in Nebraska. He spent more than two decades in the Army National Guard. He taught social studies, coached high school football and served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

But what stuck out to me was this: Walz, who is the Democratic candidate for vice president, signed into law a bill providing free breakfast and lunch to students in his state, regardless of income. The bill went into effect this past school year. At the time Minnesota was the fourth state in the U.S. to offer universal free school meals; since then the number .

Hawaii is not one of them.

Last year was introduced to provide universal free meals at all public and public charter schools starting in the 2023-2024 school year. The education committee deferred the measure.

I hope it happens.

The idea is simple: All kids have access to free public education. Why not food?

A recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau jumped from 5.2% in 2021 to 12.4% in 2022. Part of the cause has been , including a temporary boost to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Federal school meal waivers also expired in 2022.

Offering free meals to all students in public schools, regardless of family income, can help in so many ways.

According to testimony from the Hawaii Hunger Action Network, free school meals are “a lifeline to Hawaii’s struggling families.” In 2021 Hawaii had the second-highest food insecurity rate in the country, at about 25%.

In order to , a family of four needs to earn less than $46,644 a year; to get reduced-price meals, a family would have to earn less than $66,378 a year.

Yet, according to HHAN, a household survival budget for a family of four is more than $90,000. Take income — and all the effort to submit and review applications — out of the equation, and everyone benefits.

We all know that nutritious meals are important to the physical and mental development of kids. that children who receive meals and snacks provided by their child care center have higher chances of being food-secure and are more likely to be in good health. And kids who aren’t hungry .

According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, one of the largest and most comprehensive pediatric hospitals and research institutes in the U.S., healthy eating in children contributes to stable energy, strong bones and teeth and improved mental health. It’s also important in preventing chronic diseases — people living below the federal poverty line have compared to those with higher incomes.

The key, though, is nutrition.

The state has already taken steps to help low-income families access more nutritious foods by participating in the federal Double Up Food Bucks program, known locally as Da Bux. The program provides SNAP recipients with a Da Bux Access Card or voucher that cuts in half the cost of locally grown produce at participating grocery stores and farmers markets. It gives them a financial incentive to buy local fruits and vegetables. (Bonus: Local farmers benefit, too.)

Kids shouldn’t worry about their socioeconomic status at school. They have enough to worry about as it is.

Obesity rates among U.S. children ages 5 to 19 have risen dramatically from just 8% in 1990 to 20% in 2022, , caused in part by sedentary lifestyles and poor diets.

Making meals free to all students takes away whatever shame or stigma kids feel, too.

Eating is social. We meet friends for pau hana pupus and drinks after work. We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries with food. We potluck at soccer games and beach outings. No doubt lunchtime in school is the same — and if every child can grab lunch in school, every child can participate in this social experience.

 In many ways, a universal free lunch program helps even the score. Kids shouldn’t worry about their socioeconomic status at school. They have enough to worry about as it is.