School Lunch/Breakfast Programs
Last updated: September 20, 2011
The National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program are a federally assisted meal programs that operate in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. Under the school lunch program, nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches are provided to more than 25 million children every day. The school breakfast program ensures that eligible children receive a nutritious breakfast every morning.
Through agreements with local school districts and independent schools, USDA provides cash reimbursement and donates assistance for each meal to participants in the program. In turn for this federal assistance, schools are required to serve lunches that meet federal nutrition requirements, and to offer free and reduced price lunches to eligible children.
In 1994, the USDA began an effort to improve the nutritional quality of school meals through the School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children. This was the first full reform of the school lunch program since its establishment. Under this new initiative, school meals are required to conform to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and provides schools with the opportunity to update nutritional standards for meals and expand menu planning options. It has helped to improve the nutritional quality of school lunches and breakfasts.
The 2002 Farm Bill encouraged institutions participating in the National School Lunch Program to purchase local foods where practical. The Farm‑to‑School Program provides a means for sending locally grown nutritional fresh fruits and vegetables to schools and gives local producers an additional market for their products. NASDA opposes any change to this program that would provide less fresh produce to the schools and put local producers at a disadvantage.
Continued support for the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the School Meals for Health Children Initiative will ensure that our nation’s neediest children are guaranteed meals in school that meet proper nutritional guidelines.
Special Milk Program
Last updated: September 20, 2011
Children in schools and child care institutions that do not participate in other federal child nutrition meal service programs can receive milk under the Special Milk Program. Under the milk program, schools are reimbursed for each half-pint milk they serve.
More than 151 million half-pints of milk were served through the program in 1995. Unflavored and flavored whole milk, low-fat milk, skim milk and cultured buttered milk that meet state and local standards can be offered under this program.