National School Lunch Program |
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What is the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)? |
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The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating
in more than 99.800 public, non-profit private schools, and residential child care
institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches
to more than 26 million children each school day. In 1988, Congress expanded
the National School Lunch Program to include reimbursement for snacks served to
children in after school educational and enrichment programs to include children
through 18 years old.
The Food and Nutrition Service administers the program at the federal level.
At the state level, the National School lunch Program is usually administered by
state education agencies, which operate the program through agreements with school
food authorities.
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How does the National School Lunch Program work? |
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Generally, public or nonprofit private schools of high school grade or under and
public or nonprofit private residential child care institutions may participate
in the school lunch program. School districts and independent schools that
choose to take part in the lunch program get cash subsidies and donated commodities
from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for each meal they serve. In
return, they must serve lunches that meet federal requirements, and they must offer
free or reduced price lunches to eligible children. School food authorities
can also be reimbursed for snacks served to children through age 18 in after school
educational or enrichment programs. |
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What are the nutritional requirements for school lunches? |
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School lunches must meet the applicable recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans, which recommends that no more than 30 percent of an individuals calories
come from fat, and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. Regulations also
establish a standard for school lunches to provide one-third of the Recommended
Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories.
School Lunches must meet Federal nutrition requirements, but decisions about what
specific foods to serve and how they are prepared are made by local school food
authorities. |
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How do children qualify for free and reduced-price lunches? |
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Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the National School
Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes below 130 percent of the
poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130
percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals.
For more information, contact the New Mexico Public Education Department,
Student Nutrition Bureau about the Student Nutrition Programs at the address
below.
Children from families with incomes over 185 percent of the poverty level pay full
price, though their meals are subsidized to some extent. Local school food
authorities set their own process for full-price (paid) meals, but must operate their
meal services as nonprofit programs.
After school snacks are provided to children on the same income eligibility basis
as school meals. However, programs that operate in areas where at least 50
percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals serve all snacks
free.
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National School Lunch Programs: |
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School Lunch |
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School Breakfast |
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Special Milk Program |
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After School Snack Program |
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Seamless Summer Option |
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