By Baird Helgeson

Star Tribune

Democratic U.S. Sen. Al Franken is resurrecting his proposal to pay for hot school lunches for students who get reduced-price meals.

“We should really be committed to making sure kids don’t go hungry at school,” Franken said in an interview with the Star Tribune.

The senator had lunch Monday with students at Meadow Lake Elementary School in New Hope, saying the best research shows that students learn better when they are well nourished.

Franken said the proposal is designed to help students whose parents can’t afford the reduced-price lunches, which cost about 40 cents apiece. In cases where a student’s account falls to zero, the student is only offered a cheese sandwich or some other alternative.

Sometimes, Franken said, students turn down the cheese ­sandwich to spare themselves embarrassment.

“The idea of them going hungry is wrong,” Franken said.

One of Franken’s GOP challengers, Mike McFadden, said the issue highlights the differences between the two candidates.

Franken, he said, looks for a federal solution to something that state leaders are already about to tackle.

“We should really look to the state or local government,” McFadden said.

Right now, children from a family of four that makes between $32,198 and $44,123 qualify for reduced-priced lunches. Under Franken’s proposal, taxpayers would pick up the full tab for those lunches.

The proposal essentially does away with the reduced-price lunch category.