National School Lunch Program

 In FY 2018, schools served over 4.8 billion lunches to children nationwide.

 In FY 2018, schools served over 4.8 billion lunches to children nationwide.

Feeding the Future with Healthy School Lunches

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.

Program Fact Sheet
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What's New?

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ICYMI: USDA Extends Free Meals for All Kids
News Item
CN - SFSP Monitoring Waiver
Policy MemosGuidance Documents
Q&As Relating to the Nationwide Waiver to Allow SFSP and Seamless Summer Option Operations through SY 2020-21 – EXTENSION Q&As #2
Policy MemosFAQs/Q&As
Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibilities in the SFSP – Extension 2
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver of Meal Service Time Restrictions in the SFSP and the NSLP Seamless Summer Option – Extension 2
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver to Waive First Week Site Visits in the SFSP - Extension 2
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver to Allow Area Eligibility for Closed Enrolled Sites in the SFSP and the NSLP Seamless Summer Option – Extension 2
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver to Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children – Extension 5
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver to Allow Non-congregate Feeding in the SFSP and the NSLP Seamless Summer Option – Extension 5
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Child Nutrition Programs – Extension 5
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the SFSP and the NSLP Seamless Summer Option - Extension 8
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver to Allow SFSP and Seamless Summer Option Operations through SY 2020-2021 – Extension
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver of Area Eligibility in the CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Care Component- Extension
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Nationwide Waiver to Extend Area Eligibility Waivers – Extension 3
Policy MemosWaiversGuidance Documents
Trump Administration Extends Free Meals for Kids for Entire School Year
News Item
USDA Celebrates World School Milk Day with Visit to Lebanon, Pennsylvania
News Item

Spotlights

Smart Snacks in Schools

Tools for Schools: Focusing on Smart Snacks

A number of tools and resources are available to help schools identify food items that meet Smart Snacks criteria. See the resources below for information about the Smart Snacks requirement, helpful tools, and ways to encourage children to make healthier snack choices that give them the nutrition they need to grow and learn.

Verification Toolkit
Community Eligibility Provision