Education is a key component in school feeding programs and global development because overall, a more educated person has an increased amount of opportunities in life, earns more money, and has a higher standard of living than an uneducated individual. School meals greatly impact recipient children's education status by increasing school enrollment and attendance, decreasing drop-out rates, and improving cognitive abilities and learning achievements. Generally, sending children to a school in which school-meals are served offsets the financial and opportunity costs of schooling, and thus families are incentivized to send their children to school. Additionally, school feeding programs may serve as an incentive for students to go to school to receive food rather than missing out on food by staying home. The increased nutrition status of children, as a result of school feeding programs, also enhances students' cognitive abilities and performance in school.
