National School Lunch Program

 In FY 2019, schools served over 4.8 billion lunches to children nationwide.

 In FY 2019, 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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USDA Summer Meals Study
Research
School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study
Research
School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Estimate the Cost of Producing School Meals
Fact Sheets
School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Examine Student Dietary Intakes
Fact Sheets
School Nutrition & Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Examine Nutritional Characteristics of School Meals
Fact Sheets
School Nutrition & Meal Cost Study: Plate Waste in School Meals
Fact Sheets
School Nutrition & Meal Cost Study: Study Design & Implementation
Fact Sheets
CACFP Meal Pattern Revisions Related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010; Technical Amendments
Federal Register Documents
USDA/USDC Authorized Labels and Manufacturers
Technical Assistance & Guidance
Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Programs Emergency Procurement Due to Supply Chain Disruptions
Policy Memos
USDA Works to Strengthen School Meals, Listens to Feedback from Food Industry Leaders
News Item
Child Nutrition Tables
Data
Thanking School Nutrition Professionals
Webinars/Videos
USDA Celebrates National School Lunch Week, School Meal Program Resiliency throughout the Pandemic
News Item
Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Program Operations in School Year 2021-2022, Q&A #2
Policy Memos
USDA Announces $3 Billion Investment in Agriculture, Animal Health, and Nutrition; Unveils New Climate Partnership Initiative, Requests Public Input
News Item

Spotlights

School supplies with a reopening plan on a notepad

Planning for a Dynamic School Environment

As schools work toward resuming regular operations, USDA continues to offer flexibilities in response to public health needs and to ease administrative burden, while still promoting nutritious meals. Learn more about adjusting meal service operations during the dynamic school year ahead.

Tools for Schools: Focusing on Smart Snacks
Community Eligibility Provision
Verification Toolkit