The national program will "take pressure off of families, invest directly in the future of our kids and make sure they're able to reach their full potential — feeling healthy and happy," Trudeau said in a statement.

The school food program is not one of the policy provisions set out under the Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence deal, which has seen the New Democrats support the government in key votes for two years.

"Parents are doing everything they can to take care of their kids, but the cost of food just keeps going up," NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in a media statement last month.

Last December, Conservatives voted against a private member's bill that would have established a national framework for a school food program.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has harshly criticized the Liberal government for its handling of the economy and of affordability issues, frequently noting the rise in food bank usage across the country.

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